Data center protesters unite against two controversial projects in southeast Michigan
Residents in southeast Michigan are actively protesting two controversial data center projects in Van Buren and Ypsilanti townships. Concerns include environmental impact on the Huron River, strain on the power grid and water supply, and alleged lack of transparency from the developers, Google and the University of Michigan.
Protesters gathered in southeast Michigan, specifically along the Rawsonville Road bridge between Van Buren and Ypsilanti townships, to demonstrate against two major data center developments.
One project is a $1.2 billion high-performance computing facility slated for Ypsilanti Township, a partnership between the University of Michigan and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The other is a 1-gigawatt hyperscale data center planned by Google in Van Buren Township.
Residents voiced significant concerns, including potential environmental damage to the Huron River, impacts on the local power grid and water supply, and the involvement of "Department of War contracts" for the University of Michigan project. They also criticized a perceived lack of transparency from developers, stating that discussions have been ongoing for years without adequately informing local residents. Protesters expressed distrust in the University of Michigan's assurances regarding environmental protections.
Despite some initial digging for one project, demonstrators believe it is not too late to stop the developments, citing incomplete permits and advocating for greater resident involvement in the decision-making process.