Local officials try to get ahead of data center debate

In Green County, Wisconsin, local officials are taking proactive steps to address the potential for data center development amidst growing statewide grassroots opposition. Melissa Even, who represents District 2 on the county board, expressed concerns about data centers "popping up" in the rural area. The county's Zoning and Land Use Committee has solicited feedback from township officials, with a submission deadline of May 7, to review at its May 11 meeting. This initiative aims to establish local safeguards, as county officials acknowledge that most regulatory efforts will occur at the municipal level. Public sentiment in Green County, reflected by comments from Dennis Schwartz, chair of the Green County Zoning and Land Use Committee, largely opposes such projects due to concerns over soaring energy costs and water usage. While the state government considers a moratorium and new regulations, including balancing incentives with impact control, there's also a fear among some residents that data centers could be built using "secret tactics" to evade local scrutiny. Statewide, Wisconsin's data center boom is attributed to its water access, cool climate, and available land, with major hubs in Mount Pleasant, Milwaukee, and near Madison, including projects by Microsoft and Vantage Data Centers. Pending state legislation, the Data Center Accountability Act (SB 729/AB 722), proposes to mandate 70% renewable energy use, prevailing wages for construction, public reporting of energy and water usage, and exclusion of cryptocurrency mining from tax incentives, alongside new 2026 regulations requiring AI data centers to cover full energy infrastructure costs.