Van Buren Township newest data center target as community disapproves

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich. (FOX 2) - Another day, another proposed data center and this time it is in Van Buren Township.

Panattoni Data Center Group is behind the effort and has been in the data center construction business for years. Their latest structure would span about three buildings and run along I-94 from Haggerty to Hannan Roads. 

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But many Van Buren area residents and business owners say they don’t want it, citing environmental concerns, and electric bills they say could skyrocket.

"There’s environmental concerns, the water, nature, like wildlife. Where is everything going to go? I get so angry when I come out opposed to it and people say well you are using your phone - well twenty years ago, we didn’t need data centers for that," said Wendy Albers, who opposes the proposed data center.

"There’s also the surveillance where everything is monitoring you and at one point they are going to have enough pictures and videos and audio that they can say we did anything they want it to," said Andrea Pierce.

"We actually went out and found land that was zoned Data Center by rights. The Township’s master plan said this is where they want data centers. So we are not asking the township or the community to put a data center where they don’t want it right ? This is where it was planned to be," said Adam Kramer with Panattoni.

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Supporters say state law will prevent utility rates from going up if the project is built. 

There are currently about ten data centers either proposed or approved across the state so far.