Residents speak out against possible data center in northeast Wisconsin's village of Wrightstown
Residents in the village of Wrightstown, Wisconsin, are actively opposing a potential hyperscale data center project by Cloverleaf Infrastructure, despite no formal proposal being submitted yet. Community discussions are being held to gather feedback, with many residents raising environmental concerns and worries about the loss of farmland. The village board is also exploring how to tighten zoning ordinances to protect the community.
Residents of Wrightstown, Wisconsin, are voicing strong opposition to a potential hyperscale data center project, even though no formal proposal has been presented to local leaders. During community discussions at Wrightstown Village Hall, residents expressed concerns about the environmental impact of data centers and the loss of farmland.
Emails obtained through an open records request reveal that Wrightstown officials have been in communication with Cloverleaf Infrastructure regarding a possible project since at least January 2026. Cloverleaf, which previously assisted with a controversial data center in Port Washington, has expressed interest in developing a large-scale data center in northeast Wisconsin and provided templates for annexation, zoning, and pre-development agreements.
Village Board President Dean Erickson stated that no decision would be made until a formal proposal is received, assuring residents that their feedback from the listening sessions would be considered. However, residents like Roland Schmidt declared vehement opposition, citing a desire to preserve farmland and natural areas. Another resident, Marinette resident Andi Rich, raised transparency concerns regarding the village's preliminary communications with Cloverleaf.
Village Board Trustee Sue Byers noted that discussions are underway to determine how best to write ordinances and tighten regulations to protect the village, acknowledging that if the project fails in Wrightstown, it might move to the neighboring Town of Wrightstown, which could have less restrictive zoning.