Michigan City council mulls moratorium on future data centers
The Michigan City Common Council has introduced an ordinance to place a moratorium on future hyperscale data center developments, a year after approving Google's Project Maize. This proposal, prompted by resident concerns, will undergo a public hearing and committee review before a council vote. If passed, it will not affect Google's existing data center but aims to establish updated city codes and environmental protections for future projects.
The Michigan City Common Council introduced an ordinance to implement a moratorium on all future hyperscale data center developments. This move comes nearly a year after the council controversially approved Google's Project Maize data center.
Sponsored by council members Nancy Moldenhauer, Joe Nelson, and Daisy Lee, the ordinance was on its first reading and has been referred to the council's planning and zoning committee for further consideration. A public hearing will also be held before the council's final vote. Moldenhauer stated that the ordinance is a direct response to numerous resident requests for a moratorium on data center development in Michigan City. Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, expressed optimism, highlighting that Google's Project Maize 'slipped in through a zoning verification letter' without a special use permit, a situation she hopes the new ordinance will prevent from recurring. The proposed moratorium would specifically target new developments, explicitly excluding Google’s existing Project Maize located at 402 Royal Road.
The ordinance advocates for environmental protections concerning generators, fuel storage, and noise pollution, and also requests that the city plan commission update city codes related to data centers. While Moldenhauer suggested the moratorium could be indefinite and temporary to allow the commission adequate time, councilmen Bryant Dabney, Don Przybylinkski, and Greg Coulter all proposed a one-year duration. Dabney suggested the moratorium align with Project Maize's anticipated operation in 2027, potentially extending until 2028, to gather 'real data' on its community impact before considering new data center proposals.
Several residents, including Dominic Yanke and Amy Losinski, spoke in favor of the moratorium, with many requesting it last at least one year. Yanke emphasized the need for prospective health impact studies and new zoning ordinances for future data centers, stating that while the moratorium won't reverse past harms, it will protect residents from future uncontrolled developments. Debra Shore, former regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, and former state Rep. Pat Boy also publicly supported the resolution, stressing the importance of comprehensive regulations for data center development.