Data centers unite Wisconsin voters but are 'toxic' for politicians
Meta is building a $1 billion data center campus near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, prompting concerns about water, land, utility costs and community representation. Data centers have become a major political issue in Wisconsin, with voters broadly opposed and gubernatorial candidates proposing greater regulation while disagreeing over subsidies, renewable energy and a statewide moratorium.
Meta is constructing a $1 billion data center campus near Beaver Dam, where resident Maily Kocinski says she has struggled to find a government representative able to address her concerns about potential effects on water and land. The project site was annexed by Beaver Dam from the town of Trenton, leaving Kocinski outside the city’s electorate while her town government lacks jurisdiction over the development.
The broader data center boom has become a divisive issue in Wisconsin politics. Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley supports union labor, renewable energy and tighter safeguards for utility customers, while Republican candidate Tom Tiffany has called for ending state subsidies and protecting farmland; both oppose a statewide moratorium and favor local control. Other candidates and advocacy groups are pushing for a temporary pause or stronger regulations, as polling shows large majorities of Wisconsin voters believe data centers’ costs outweigh their benefits.