Data centers have loud opposition, but supporters gathered at Missouri S&T to push them

A "Governor's Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Data Centers" was held at the Protoplex on the campus of Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, drawing over 200 business, academic, and government leaders, with 400 more watching online. The event aimed to build support for data centers in Missouri, emphasizing responsible development despite acknowledging concerns about energy, land, water, and infrastructure needs.

Missouri S&T Chancellor Mo Dehghani and Governor Mike Kehoe highlighted the economic benefits, including jobs and high-tech investment, warning that communities rejecting data centers could miss out. Governor Kehoe, who spoke for 15 minutes, urged a focus on how to welcome data centers, not whether, and attributed some concerns to "misinformation campaigns," while acknowledging that economic growth has costs like rising power rates.

Outside the forum, approximately three dozen protesters from Rolla and surrounding areas, including Suzanne Hume from CleanEarth4Kids, demonstrated against data centers. They cited concerns about increased power and water rates, environmental impacts on air and water quality, and a lack of transparency in development processes. A March Gallup poll indicating 71% American opposition to local data centers was also referenced.

Local governments across Missouri are increasingly addressing data center development. In Festus, the approval of a data center led to four council members losing reelection and recall petitions against the mayor and other council members. The St. Charles City Council passed a measure effectively prohibiting data centers in the city. Even in Rolla, the city council voted unanimously to draft a data center moratorium for consideration, citing too many unanswered questions about the projects, even though no developers had approached them yet.