Over 400 attend data center forum

More than 400 residents gathered at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, Wisconsin, for a town hall meeting hosted by Rock County Neighbors for Responsible Development. The forum addressed concerns over proposed hyperscale AI data centers in Rock County, specifically highlighting potential projects near the Rock River corridor in Janesville and the Town of Beloit. Co-emcee Shelly Stroman, whose property would be near a proposed center, urged community involvement in local decision-making. Comedian Charlie Berens criticized the rapid development of AI data centers, which he noted use significantly more energy and land than traditional facilities, and the perceived lack of regulation. He emphasized the importance of local control over "big tech" decisions impacting Rock County. Retired technology executive Prescott Balch acknowledged the potential for high tax revenue but warned against over-reliance on a single industry and the myth of numerous direct jobs, citing only around 18 jobs per facility. He also cautioned that massive valuation increases could erode the purchasing power of the tax base over time due to inflation. Geologist Lori Huntoon raised significant environmental concerns, explaining that data centers demand millions of gallons of water daily, posing risks to groundwater and potentially drying up nearby wells, particularly impacting the Rock River, an area already prone to frequent flooding. She also highlighted the vulnerability of shallow groundwater systems in the Town of Beloit to contamination from data center infrastructure and chemical cooling systems.