Michigan City residents want to halt Project Maize construction

Residents of Michigan City, Indiana, are intensifying their efforts to halt the construction of the Project Maize data center at 402 Royal Road, despite the Michigan City Common Council having previously approved the project and granted tax abatements. Ashley Williams, a resident and executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Michigan City officials, urging them to stop construction due to concerns about soil disturbance and contamination from the site's previous use as a Federal-Mogul facility, known for trichloroethylene (TCE) and arsenic contamination. Separately, residents, including Dominic Yanke and Eileen Mark, filed a nine-page zoning complaint alleging that the developer never appeared before the Michigan City Board of Zoning Appeals and that the project's nature as a massive AI company operating within M1 (light industrial) zoning is inappropriate. They also claim violations regarding lighting, noise, and the storage of combustible materials like diesel generators. Residents also expressed frustration that Michigan City officials are reportedly denying access to site plans, citing public safety concerns. IDEM confirmed it is evaluating soil sample results and that related documents are publicly available. Residents are also challenging an air permit approved by IDEM on March 19, which allows for 66 diesel-fired emergency generators without emission controls, raising significant environmental and health concerns. The data center's end-user has not been formally announced, but documents link Google as an affiliate of the operator, Lavender Fields Holdings LLC. Phoenix Construction is identified as the site developer.