In rural Wisconsin, a town rejects a plan to build a massive data center

Residents of Cassville, Wisconsin, recently voted unanimously to ban data centers in their town, effectively blocking a proposed billion-dollar development by an anonymous company. The decision was made through a new ordinance, passed inside the town's garage, with 44 ballots cast in favor of the ban and none against. This reflects a strong local opposition to large technology incursions into their rural landscape, particularly a project that would consume about 500 acres of the state's Driftless area. The community's leaders and an attorney worked to establish this regulation, which prioritizes the preservation of the pastoral environment over the developer's promises of 50 jobs and over $5.5 million in annual property tax revenue. The vote in Cassville is part of a growing trend of Midwestern communities pushing back against data center expansion. In Port Washington, Wisconsin, residents previously passed a referendum requiring voter approval for significant tax incentives. Furthermore, Wisconsin lawmakers are considering bills to prevent developers from using non-disclosure agreements when scouting new sites. Across the Mississippi River in Clayton County, Iowa, officials are also exploring new zoning, setback, and size restrictions for data centers, indicating a broader regional effort to regulate the industry's growth.