U-M continues data center plans despite local opposition
The University of Michigan is moving forward with plans for a supercomputing facility in Ypsilanti Township, despite significant local opposition and denouncement resolutions from the city and township. A moratorium on water and sewer services for data centers has been enacted by the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority, which U-M's legal firm has challenged as legally invalid. Residents and some university officials continue to raise concerns about environmental impact, noise, and community welfare.
The University of Michigan (U-M) is pressing ahead with plans for a large-scale supercomputing facility in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, facing strong local opposition. This includes three denouncement resolutions from the city and township, consistent pushback from residents, and a recently enacted moratorium by the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) that restricts water and sewer services for data centers and similar facilities.
Prior to the YCUA's approval of the moratorium, U-M's legal firm, Barnes & Thornburg, issued a notice asserting that the resolution would be "legally invalid" and discriminatory. The firm reserved the University's right to pursue further legal action, though it has not confirmed if it will do so. The project is being developed in partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which has indicated the facility will be used for confidential research, including nuclear weapons strategy.
U-M Regent Paul Brown has voiced personal opposition to the chosen Textile Road site, citing environmental risks and community resistance as primary concerns, despite having previously voted in favor of purchasing the site. Michigan Rep. Jimmie Wilson Jr., D-District 32, who represents Ypsilanti, introduced a bill to revoke $100 million in state funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for the project. He also reported that U-M is in discussions with the American Center for Mobility (ACM) regarding the potential relocation of the project to a site near Willow Run airport.
Local residents have raised various ethical, environmental, and logistical concerns, including energy and water consumption, noise pollution, and potential crime risks. While U-M claims the facility will use direct-to-chip cooling and produce minimal noise, community members like David Beavers, Jacqueline Stiltner, and Mariya Duncans remain skeptical about the project's impact on their lives and the environment, with some advocating for the Willow Run site as a less disruptive alternative.