Ottawa Group Seeks November Vote to Ban Data Centers
Residents in Ottawa, Kansas, organized as Ottawa United, are gathering signatures for a petition to place an ordinance on the November ballot. If passed, the ordinance would ban data centers using more than 25 megawatts of power due to environmental concerns about a proposed 300-acre development by Lightfield Energy that could include a data center and a natural gas power plant. The group needs 658 signatures by next week.
Community members in Ottawa, Kansas, are actively fighting against a proposed data center project by developer Lightfield Energy. The project, planned for a 300-acre site, could include a data center and a natural gas power plant, raising concerns among residents like Katie Hornbeck and Steven Baker about potential pollution.
The group, Ottawa United, is urgently collecting signatures for a petition to get an ordinance on the November ballot. The proposed ordinance, drafted by member Jessica Christopher, would prevent the city from allowing any data center that consumes more than 25 megawatts of power. With 450 out of 658 required signatures gathered so far, members like Brenda Bloomer and Patricia Hodges are working to meet the deadline, expressing frustration that their voices aren't being heard by city officials or the developer.
KSHB 41's Franklin County reporter, Lily O'Shea Becker, has been covering the story and reported reaching out to the City of Ottawa and Lightfield Energy for comment, but had not received a response.