Data centers are physical facilities that can house thousands of computer servers and networking equipment. They act as the backbone of the digital world, used to store, process and manage massive volumes of data for everything from cloud computing and video streaming to enterprise operations and artificial intelligence.
According to Wisconsin Watch’s Tom Kertscher, moratoriums to block hyperscale data centers have been adopted by at least four Wisconsin local governments and are being considered in at least six more.
Most recently, the Door County Board adopted a one-year data center moratorium. Moratoriums have already been adopted in Madison, Manitowoc County and the Town of Cassville in Grant County, where developers have proposed a $1 billion-plus data center.
Also in Grant County, the Beetown Town Board adopted an interim zoning ordinance that specifically blocks large data centers, and the Bloomington Town Board is considering one.
In the village of Wrightstown, officials decided to put an advisory referendum on the Aug. 11 ballot asking residents if the village should support infrastructure for potential data centers.
Wisconsin ranks 29th among the states in artificial intelligence adoption, according to a Microsoft estimate, with 28% of working-age residents using generative AI products such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Pilot.
An online survey showed 55% of adults in the Midwest, compared with 47% nationally, say construction of new data centers have a very or somewhat negative effect on the country.
