New group opposing data centers in Douglas County urges residents to start protesting before developments are proposed
A new group named Douglas County Data Center Watchdogs formed in Lawrence, Kansas, to proactively oppose potential data center developments. Inspired by efforts in nearby communities, the group is urging residents to organize and vocalize concerns about water use, noise, and electricity before any specific proposals are filed. The City Commission has also expressed interest in exploring a moratorium on data center development.
A new coalition of Douglas County residents, called the Douglas County Data Center Watchdogs, has formed in Lawrence, Kansas, to actively deter potential data center projects in the area. Approximately 100 people attended their "call to action" meeting at the Lawrence Public Library, where former local government leaders, including Nancy Thellman, a former Douglas County commissioner, and Lisa Harris-Frydman, a former planning commissioner, urged early organization.
The group was inspired by opposition to Project Bluestem in nearby Leavenworth County and aims to educate residents on the potential economic, community, and environmental impacts of data centers. Former planning commissioner Chelsi Hayden highlighted how vocal public opposition can slow down projects, making development less attractive to companies seeking "fast, easy and cheap" locations, often drawn by incentives like Kansas's Senate Bill 98, which offers a 20-year sales and use tax exemption.
Organizers emphasized the urgency, noting that the City of Lawrence's Land Development Code currently lists data centers as a permitted use in industrial zoning districts, potentially allowing them without a City Commission vote. Residents, like Dominique Sexton, raised specific environmental concerns about "hyperscale" data centers, citing their massive water and electricity consumption, which can strain local resources and power grids.
The meeting concluded with plans for monthly updates, calls for protests, and the sale of "No Data Center" yard signs, as organizers believe Lawrence's history of activism positions it well to resist unwanted development. The City Commission has already expressed interest in exploring a moratorium on data center development due to public concerns.