Colorado data center fight heads to Brighton next as opposition grows
Opponents of a proposed eight-building data center in Brighton are urging the City Council to impose a temporary moratorium on approvals. Weld County activists are also circulating petitions seeking voter referendums on Global AI's proposed project and future data center developments, citing concerns about water use, electricity demand, noise, transparency and pollution.
Opposition to a proposed 2.5-million-square-foot data center development near Brighton is intensifying ahead of a City Council meeting where activists will seek a 90- or 180-day moratorium on data center approvals. The eight-building project is planned on farmland near 50th Avenue and Weld County Road 4, in a portion of Brighton located in Weld County. Dewberry engineers filed paperwork for the project, while activists identify California-based Raeden as the developer; neither firm provided comment.
Weld County activists are launching two petition drives requiring 10,000 signatures each. One would ask county commissioners to refer approval of Global AI's proposed data center to voters, while the other would require public referendums for new data centers or expansions. Organizers including Patricia Garcia-Nelson and Matt Cheroutes say residents should have a direct role in decisions affecting their communities.
Opponents cite the project's potential consumption of cooling water during drought, large electricity requirements on United Power's grid, backup-generator pollution and noise. The article also notes that Colorado Springs delayed consideration of another data center after protests, while Aurora rejected a moratorium but adopted new water-use requirements for projects.