Petition calls for pause on Pottawatomie County data center
A petition calling for a three-year moratorium on a proposed data center in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, has collected over 500 signatures. Local resident John Watt is leading the effort, citing concerns over transparency, public health, safety, and local infrastructure. The goal is to slow down the project to allow county leaders to study its potential impacts.
A petition advocating for a three-year moratorium on a proposed high-impact data center in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, has garnered over 500 signatures. Local resident John Watt is spearheading the effort, aiming not to halt the project entirely but to slow its progress to allow for a comprehensive understanding of its potential impacts on public health, safety, and local infrastructure.
Watt expressed significant concerns regarding transparency in the approval process, noting that data centers often require non-disclosure agreements, which he believes hinders open communication with the public. He cited an initial meeting where media was excluded and his microphone was unplugged as a "red flag," reinforcing his belief in the need for greater transparency.
The petition emphasizes that the issue transcends political divides, framing it as a conflict between "billionaire class versus small farmer and small town." Watt believes a moratorium would provide county leaders with essential time to observe the outcomes of similar data center projects in other communities across Kansas and the United States. He plans to continue collecting signatures before formally presenting the petition to the Pottawatomie County Planning Commission.