Transparency, environmental concerns take center stage at data center meetings
Sutton Parker
COLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)
Data centers took the spotlight in Jefferson City on Wednesday as groups met to discuss the controversial topic.
One of those groups met at the Capitol to voice their concerns about the proposed data centers being built in rural communities.
Though a press conference-style meeting in the rotunda, multiple speakers took to the stage to share their views on the centers being built.
Henry Iwenofu, a candidate for the Missouri House District 73, said his main concerns were centered around the economy and individual health.
“We will be exposed to not only economic cost but also health cost. The economic cost in the sense of water, high utility costs, and the health cost is for every chemical that will be involved, cancer. Asthma and all kinds of diseases that will affect the young and the older population,” he said.
In addition to being concerned over health and safety, Iwenofu said transparency is important when it comes to the issue.
“Transparency is important irrespective of the data center. It’s important so that people understand what is really happening and then give them the opportunity to make a choice. By the time we realize what’s going on, it’s too late,” he said.
Beyond health and safety, critics also raised alarms over the impact on farmland and wildlife.
Tom Westoff, a member of Reserve Montgomery County, said the data centers displace wildlife.
“Montgomery County is very fortunate to have a lot of wildlife, deer, turkeys, rabbits, quail, songbirds, everything, and this is 2,000 acres in our area that will essentially be wiped out of all natural habitat that is there,” he said.
Westoff also added that he is frustrated with the transparency when it comes to local leadership.
“The public needs to be aware of what is going on and have input, in Montgomery County, we have three county commissioners whose job is to serve the people. They never took a vote from the people or surveyed the people; they just went with what they were convinced by the state and others that it was a good deal, ” he said.
The group meeting to discuss the topic held a closed-door Data Center Summit led by a coalition of government associations, open only to members of the Missouri School Board Association, the Missouri Association of Counties, and the Missouri Municipal League. Residents pushed back at the board during multiple public meetings discussing the topic.
Laura Holloway, the Executive Director of the Missouri Municipal League, said that this meeting centered around educating local leaders on the facilities.
“Today was about bringing multiple perspectives in and educating our members because they are receiving so many questions from all angles,” she said.
When asked about strengthening transparency between local government and community members, she said local leaders want what is best for their citizens.
“You know, they have other jobs, their own families in the community, they are absolutely closest to that community, so they want what is best and to be transparent.”
Holloway noted that sometimes there are circumstances where they may not be able to share information, such as real estate deals, where they cannot fully share information at that time.
When it comes to addressing health, safety and environmental concerns, she said those were part of the reason for today’s summit. Holloway said during Wednesday’s gathering there were panel discussions on energy, water, infrastructure and impact incentives.
When it comes to why the meeting was held behind closed doors, Halloway said it all had to do with capacity.
Holloway added that the main goal of Wednesday’s meeting was to educate as many local leaders as they could, and with that, they just could not open up the doors to the public.