By Gary Mays
gmays@themonroetimes.com
MONROE — A public hearing has been scheduled to get the public’s input on a measure that would place a moratorium on any data centers and related proposals to give county officials time to craft common sense policies about where the controversial projects can be built.
The Green County Board Zoning Committee meeting is set for 3 p.m. July 13 in the second story county board room at the downtown courthouse.
“A moratorium would give us time to decide what to do on the issue,” said Nic Owen, Green County administrator.
Owen emphasized that the moratorium idea isn’t driven by a proposal from any data center developers; and that there are no projects currently being considered. Rather, he said, it’s an attempt to stay ahead of the issue and ensure that everyone’s perspective is reflected before they even consider any specific proposals.
County officials say they want to focus on the appropriateness of such land-use, as well as any safety, health or environmental concerns.
“I can assure you that neither the Zoning Department or I have been contacted by a data center developer,” said Owen.
Still, data centers are popping up quickly across the state and nationwide to support the computing needs of artificial intelligence applications and programs. But while many officials rushed to court such projects — at first welcoming any type of commercial development, especially related to the tech industry — opponents point to soaring energy costs and water usage where they’ve been constructed.
The data center construction rush in the state is driven by the region’s access to water, cool temperatures, and available land with major hubs in Mount Pleasant, Milwaukee, and near Madison.
Among the bigger developments is Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar Fairwater A.I. center, and a massive Vantage Data Centers campus in Port Washington, where residents there are fighting back. While the state has previously offered significant tax exemptions to build data centers here starting in 2023, new 2026 regulations would require large A.I. data centers to pay full costs for new energy infrastructure with pending legislation (SB 729/AB 722) aiming to mandate 70% renewable energy use, labor standards, infrastructure impacts and increased transparency.
County officials here, meanwhile, are hearing plenty of feedback already on the hot-button issues, much of it through robust discussion via social media and in recent campaigns for local office.
There’s also a dedicated Facebook page, “Stop the Green County Data Center,” although it only has about 40 followers and officials vehemently maintain there are no proposals at this time to stop.
“By their own admission the data centers will not be profitable for 10 years or possibly ever,” said one post on the page. “Your community will be paying for them for the next 50-80 years in more ways than one if not more.”
Some have criticized the county for holding the meeting at a mid-afternoon time, when presumably it would be difficult for residents to show up and make their voices heard on an issue that has dominated headlines in recent months. But Owen said there is no effort to make it more inconvenient to attend.
“That’s the regular time when they have these types of hearings,” said Owen. “We do hope county residents show up so we can get the information we need.”