Data center opponents voice concerns in Alton
Residents in Alton, Illinois, demonstrated against a proposed data center campus at the former Alton steel mill site during a developer-led open house. Opponents cited concerns about noise, environmental impacts, and water and energy use, while the developer said the project could generate an estimated $17 million annually in tax revenue and would be cleaner and quieter than the former steel plant.
Opponents gathered outside an open-house meeting in Alton to protest a proposed data center campus on the 381-acre former Alton steel mill site. Community concerns include potential noise, environmental effects, and the project’s demand for water and energy. Some residents support redevelopment of the industrial property and the developer’s estimate that the project could produce $17 million in annual tax revenue.
The developer said public feedback would help shape a future proposal and argued that the data center campus would be quieter and cleaner than the former steel plant. The site is currently zoned for industrial use, but the City of Alton would need to approve rezoning before the project could proceed; no formal plan had yet been submitted.