Washtenaw Data Center Watch Begins with Ballots, Bills and Local Control
Augusta Township voters will decide on an August 4 referendum whether to uphold a data center-related rezoning ordinance. Separately, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell is pressing the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory for answers regarding a proposed research facility after Ypsilanti Township formally opposed it. State lawmakers have also introduced various bills addressing data center regulations, including a potential statewide moratorium and limits on U-M's land-use authority.
The Sun Times News has launched "Washtenaw Data Center Watch," a weekly column detailing data center developments in Washtenaw County, Michigan, covering local projects, legislation, and infrastructure issues. Residents and local governments across the county are grappling with concerns over electricity and water consumption, local regulatory authority, public information access, and infrastructure funding for data center projects.
A significant local development involves Augusta Township, where voters will decide on August 4 whether to uphold Ordinance No. 2025-02. This ordinance, previously approved by the township board in July 2025, would rezone several Augusta Development Corp. parcels from Agricultural Residential to General Industrial, a change tied to a proposed data center project by Thor Equities/Form8tion. The rezoning was referred to voters after residents submitted sufficient petition signatures.
Concurrently, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell is pushing the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory for detailed answers regarding a proposed research computing facility in Ypsilanti Township. In a June 24 letter to U-M President Domenico Grasso and Los Alamos Director Thom Mason, Dingell highlighted residents' and officials' ongoing lack of clarity on the project's impact on energy, water, noise, public safety, and quality of life. She specifically questioned the facility's potential role in nuclear weapons production or modeling, requesting responses by July 10 for public release. This follows Ypsilanti Township's formal opposition to the project on June 16. Separately, State Reps. Jimmie Wilson Jr., Jason Morgan, and Morgan Foreman have introduced legislation to require U-M to comply with local zoning rules for new land acquisitions.
Additionally, Michigan House Democrats, including Rep. Foreman, are backing a broader package of data center bills. These proposals aim to protect electric utility customers, mandate community benefits agreements, restrict water use for cooling, require noise reports, and ensure companies cover decommissioning costs, with one bill specifically prohibiting nondisclosure agreements for elected officials regarding data center construction. Discussions also continue on a potential statewide moratorium on new data center approvals. The Saline Township data center project, involving Related Digital, Oracle, and OpenAI, is noted as a key example in the state's ongoing debate, facing scrutiny for its expected energy and water demands.