Work underway for Springfield initiative petition to ban data centers
Organizers in Springfield are developing a binding initiative petition that would ban data centers, after collecting signatures to demonstrate public support. The city has paused data center applications and is considering extending the pause until mid-February while developing definitions and future regulations for the facilities.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation-Springfield is organizing an initiative petition to ban data centers in Springfield, Missouri. Organizer James Ritzendollar said the group is drafting the formal petition and hopes to place the question on the April 2027 ballot, although the signatures collected so far are not legally binding. The effort follows a public forum where residents raised concerns about electricity and water consumption, environmental contamination, noise, private data use and the perceived benefits of data centers to technology companies.
Springfield currently has an administrative pause preventing applications and reviews for data center projects. City officials plan to seek an extension until mid-February and create a data center definition in city code, with both matters scheduled for consideration by the Planning & Zoning Commission and then City Council. The city expects to present broader regulations in January, but the pending actions would not themselves determine whether data centers are ultimately banned or regulated within the city.