Port Washington residents urge DNR to deny air quality permits for data center

Residents of Port Washington, Wisconsin, and environmental advocates are actively urging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to deny air quality permits for a significant data center campus being constructed by Vantage Data Centers. The $15 billion project, intended to support the expansion of AI capacity for companies like OpenAI and Oracle, is facing scrutiny over its environmental impact, particularly the use of 45 diesel-fired generators for backup power. The DNR initially granted preliminary approval, finding that Vantage would meet air pollution limits. However, during a virtual public hearing, residents, including Dean Wiegert and Jeff Lueck, voiced concerns about air pollution from fine particles and nitrogen oxides, noise, light pollution, traffic, and impacts on wildlife. Lueck, an asthma sufferer living near the campus, specifically advocated for battery backup instead of diesel generators, citing health risks associated with diesel exhaust. Michael Greif, a legal fellow with Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA), speaking on behalf of Sierra Club Wisconsin, argued that the project's scale legally mandates an environmental impact statement due to "new and unreserved questions" about energy use, climate impacts, air pollution, and public health. MEA and Clean Wisconsin also criticized the DNR's decision not to conduct air dispersion modeling and estimated significant public health costs from the diesel generators' pollution. The 670-acre campus, slated for completion in 2028, is expected to require up to 3.5 gigawatts of electricity and has previously drawn local opposition, leading to the approval of a referendum requiring voter approval for certain large development incentives. While supporters highlight potential job creation and tax revenue, recent polling indicates many Wisconsin voters believe data center costs outweigh their benefits.