Overview:
- Pontiac City Council unanimously approves a six-month moratorium on data center development to study potential impacts on public health, utilities, and infrastructure.
- Multiple Washtenaw County communities enact moratoria on data center proposals to establish local regulations.
- Dozens of Monroe County residents protest data centers planned for Dundee and Frenchtown Townships on Jan. 18.
🔌 Data center boom could strain Michigan’s water supply, experts warn Michigan communities are preparing for potential water supply challenges from data center development. Mason’s mayor is studying how much water the city could allocate to facilities that can consume up to 5 million gallons daily for cooling. Experts warn that data centers, combined with climate change and renewed coal and nuclear power production, could reverse decades of declining water usage in the Great Lakes region, creating shortages and groundwater conflicts despite the area’s abundant freshwater resources. 📌 Source: The Detroit News
🔌 House Speaker Hall slams tax credits for Michigan data centers House Speaker Matt Hall criticized state tax credits for AI data centers, arguing they expose consumers to financial risk if projects fail. While opposing a moratorium on all projects, Hall expressed concerns about potential price increases. Attorney General Dana Nessel requested a rehearing for DTE’s Saline data center contracts, questioning whether DTE can fulfill promises. Critics worry facilities demand significant water and energy while creating few permanent jobs. DTE has said it is negotiating providing 7 gigawatts of power for multiple data center proposals statewide. 📌 Source: WLNS-TV
🔌 Pontiac enacts 6-month ban on data center development Pontiac City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development to study potential impacts on public health, utilities, and infrastructure. Mayor Mike McGuinness said he received inquiries about data centers after his November election, prompting proactive measures. The city joins other Oakland County communities including Northville and Springfield Township in pausing data center projects. Councilman Mikal Goodman unsuccessfully pushed for a 12-month moratorium, citing the need for thorough due diligence on environmental impacts. 📌 Source: The Detroit News
🔌 Washtenaw County communities pause data center development Multiple Washtenaw County communities are enacting moratoria on data center proposals to establish local regulations. Freedom Township approved a yearlong moratorium Jan.16, joining the City of Saline, Sylvan Township, and Pittsfield Township with similar pauses. York Township plans ordinance amendments while residents request a moratorium. Ypsilanti Township adopted rules limiting hyperscale data centers to industrial and commercial revitalization zones. The actions follow controversy over Saline Township’s massive OpenAI-Oracle data center project and concerns about environmental impacts and energy costs. 📌 Source: MLive
🔌 Ypsilanti Township officials seek transparency on U-M research facility Ypsilanti Township officials and many residents oppose the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory’s proposed $1.25 billion data center project. Over 300 people were waitlisted for a Jan. 12 community meeting. Concerns include the facility’s substation, which the township attorney said equals the community’s entire energy consumption, potential water strain, lack of transparency from U-M, and the university’s exemption from local zoning laws. A group of state representatives is working to reclaim a $100 million state grant for the project. 📌 Source: The Eastern Echo
🔌 Monroe County residents rally against proposed data centers Dozens of Monroe County residents protested data centers planned for Dundee and Frenchtown Townships on Jan. 18. Organized by Protect Frenchtown and Good Trouble Monroe, protesters expressed environmental concerns and opposition to facilities near Sterling State Park. Frenchtown Township recently passed a zoning amendment allowing battery energy storage systems for data centers. Protect Frenchtown plans to challenge this by collecting 1,200 signatures by Feb. 15 to place the amendment on November’s ballot. 📌 Source: The Monroe News