US EditionMichigan Data Center Proposals Spark Public Opposition, Energy Concerns
More than 230 environmental groups call for halting new AI data centers amid concerns over rising electricity costs, water use, and pollution linked to rapid AI growth.
- On Dec. 5, the Michigan Public Service Commission declined to take up DTE Energy's power contracts; MPSC spokesperson Matt Helms said 'The case isn't ripe for a decision yet.'
- DTE filed an ex parte motion in late October seeking approval without a contested case, while Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and opponents cited unjustified redactions and rushed deadlines.
- The project involves a $7 billion development with 1.4 gigawatts planned, including three 550,000-square-foot buildings on a 250-acre site and 2,500 union construction jobs plus 450 on-site jobs.
- An additional virtual hearing is set for Dec. 18 on permit impacts, while developers can terminate the agreement within 30 days if not approved by Dec. 5 or extend to Dec. 19.
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan governor, and unions support the project for jobs and taxes, while twenty-eight Republican and Democratic lawmakers and residents demand transparency and a contested case.
50 Articles
50 Articles
Environmental groups to Congress: Take a timeout on AI data centers
Environmental groups across the country are urging Congress to enact a nationwide pause on the approval and construction of data centers, writing in a letter to lawmakers Monday that a moratorium is needed to address the “massive” harms linked to building and operating the facilities. The letter, which was led by Food & Water Watch and signed by more than 230 organizations, rails against the expansion of data centers across the country, fueled …
Over 230 environmental groups across the US are asking Congress to halt AI data-center expansion
A large coalition of environmentally-focused organizations has sent a scathing letter to members of Congress, urging US representatives to put the development of new data centers on hold. The letter identifies generative AI and cryptocurrency as among the most significant environmental and social threats of this generation, citing their role...Read Entire Article
Data center construction moratorium is gaining steam
A Microsoft data center under construction in Aldie, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. | Photo: Getty Images More than 230 groups including Food & Water Watch, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Greenpeace are demanding a pause on the construction of any new data centers in the US until stronger regulations are in place to prevent soaring electricity rates, water use, and pollution. "The rapid, largely unregulated rise of data cen…
Environmental groups demand a nationwide freeze on data center construction
Construction is underway on Amazon’s Mid-Atlantic Region data center in Loudoun County, Va. The power needs of large data centers like this one are driving a projected increase in demand for electricity in the United States after years of stagnant or declining demand. Photo taken Feb. 10, 2024. (iStock photo / Getty Images)This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, en…
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