Data Centers: Daily Notes | July 22, 2026

Pittsylvania County, Virginia

The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve a resolution supporting a $100 billion data center campus at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill, spearheaded by Denver-based developer STACK Infrastructure.

The project would span roughly 2,990 acres of the 3,528-acre Berry Hill Industrial Park, Virginia's largest certified industrial megasite, with development expected to unfold over 15 to 30 years. Board Chairman Robert Tucker described the project's scale as a game changer for the region's economy, citing anticipated ripple effects from new workers and business activity.

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STACK is the digital infrastructure partner to the world’s most innovative companies and a leading global developer and operator of data centers.

STACK Infrastructure

Despite the economic promise, residents have raised concerns about the pace of approval, urging county leaders during public comment to slow down and fold a project of this scale into broader comprehensive planning rather than fast-tracking it. County leadership said the project remains on schedule, with preliminary site preparation and construction milestones potentially beginning before the end of the year.

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City officials are preparing to review a proposal for a 20-story downtown data center that would redevelop the historic Western Newspaper Union building, with the project facing both regulatory scrutiny and strong neighborhood opposition.

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The development must comply with the city's recently adopted data center regulations, which limit where facilities can be located and establish standards for noise and setbacks. Developers say the project would rely on closed-loop cooling, generate electricity on-site using natural gas fuel cells, and fund its own infrastructure while potentially contributing up to $25 million annually in tax revenue.

Residents and preservation advocates have raised concerns about the project's water demand, environmental impacts, historic preservation, and compatibility with the surrounding downtown neighborhood. More than 80 people attended a public engagement meeting to voice objections, with several community organizations urging city officials to reject or significantly revise the proposal. The City Planning Commission is expected to consider the development on Aug. 5, with additional reviews required before construction could move forward.

Pocono Township, Pennsylvania

Pocono Township commissioners unanimously approved amendments to the township's data center ordinance, eliminating the previously established six-parcel data center overlay district and instead allowing data centers and related accessory uses as conditional uses within the township's industrial zoning district.

Pocono Township eliminates data center overlay district

Pocono Township amended the data center ordinance passed this spring. Here’s why the commissioners made the change.

Pocono Record, Pocono Record

Township officials said the changes simplify the zoning framework, provide greater clarity on where future data centers could be considered, and strengthen protections for residents while maintaining local oversight through the conditional use process.

During the public meeting, residents continued to voice concerns over the potential environmental impacts of hyperscale data centers, urging the township to require scientific impact studies and adopt a moratorium until those reviews are completed. Commissioners acknowledged ongoing community concerns regarding electricity demand, water consumption, and other operational impacts, noting that additional regulations could be developed in the future. Officials also emphasized that the revised ordinance represents the strongest legal approach currently available under the township's zoning authority while preserving flexibility to impose further conditions if needed.

Posey County, Indiana

Residents continued pressing county officials for more transparency about a potential data center project after commissioners confirmed they had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with a developer but could not identify the company involved.

The discussion comes as the Posey County Area Plan Commission considers amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance that would establish regulations for future data centers, while many residents continue calling on county commissioners to adopt a temporary moratorium instead. Commission President Bill Collins said signing NDAs is common practice for economic development prospects and emphasized that doing so does not commit the county to approving a project, but rather allows officials to gather information while protecting a company's confidentiality requirements. Collins also stressed that any future proposal would still require public input and could ultimately be rejected by county officials.

Putting communities first: Our decision to end NDAs with local governments - Microsoft Local

In January, Microsoft announced our Community-First AI Infrastructure Plan, outlining our commitments to the communities where we operate or are seeking to operate datacenters. As part of that announcement, we called for greater degree of local transparency. Today, we’re sharing that Microsoft has made the decision to end the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with…

Microsoft LocalLocal Community Team

Russell, Kentucky

A proposed hyperscale data center at the former AK Steel mill site is drawing attention as local officials evaluate what could become one of Kentucky's largest AI infrastructure projects.

Rubix Data Centers, a subsidiary of Spain-based Submer Group, is proposing an $8 billion to $12 billion campus featuring eight two-story buildings with up to 2 gigawatts of computing capacity, making it capable of consuming more than 10% of Kentucky's peak summer electricity production when fully operational. The company estimates the project would create thousands of construction jobs, approximately 200 permanent positions with an average annual salary of $125,000, and generate tens of millions of dollars in local property tax revenue.

The proposal comes as communities across Kentucky continue debating the impacts of hyperscale data centers on electricity demand, water resources, and the environment, with several local governments having adopted temporary moratoriums while developing regulations. According to project materials, the facility would use an estimated 55 million gallons of water annually, while developers say the local water system has sufficient capacity to support the project.

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Vicksburg, Mississippi

Residents rallied against a proposed Amazon data center in nearby Warren County, citing concerns about noise, pollution, higher utility costs, and the project's location near an elementary school.

Protest organizers argued that hyperscale data centers are being developed too quickly without sufficient community input and called for greater public involvement before major construction decisions move forward.

Mississippi protesters rally against data center near elementary school, fearing noise and bills

Residents in Vicksburg, Mississippi, protested on Saturday against a planned Amazon data center in nearby Warren County.

The Cool DownLeigh Cook

Opponents said the facility's proximity to children has heightened worries about generator emissions, constant equipment noise, and potential health impacts, while supporters continue to point to the project's economic benefits. The protest comes as scrutiny of data center development grows across Mississippi, with the Jackson City Council recently approving a six-month moratorium on new data center projects.

Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit City Council approved a resolution opposing the unrestricted use of the city's water resources for cooling AI data centers as officials continue developing regulations for future data center projects.

The resolution calls for safeguards, including monitoring and measures to reduce water consumption and environmental impacts, citing concerns that large facilities could strain water infrastructure, harm aquatic ecosystems, and place increasing demands on freshwater resources.

The action comes as the City Planning Commission prepares a Detroit-specific regulatory framework after convening a cross-sector data center working group, while also assessing existing smaller-scale data center operations within the city. Officials emphasized that Detroit is not positioned to accommodate hyperscale facilities and said new regulations are needed to protect residents from potential impacts. The resolution follows an earlier City Council request for a two-year moratorium on new data center developments, although the mayor has not yet decided whether to implement the temporary pause.

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo city commissioners are considering a temporary moratorium on new data center proposals while developing regulations to govern future facilities. During the proposed pause, officials would evaluate land use policies, potential zoning changes, and other safeguards intended to address concerns over data centers' impacts on noise, water consumption, and energy demand.

Although no formal data center applications have been submitted in Kalamazoo, commissioners noted growing regional interest in AI-related infrastructure, including a recently listed industrial property marketed as a potential data center site. The commission discussed the proposal this week and is expected to revisit the issue in three weeks, when the city attorney will present legal options and regulatory considerations.

Limerick Township, Pennsylvania

Residents continued voicing opposition to a proposed eight-building, 2.8 million-square-foot data center campus during a public hearing on the project, following a protest outside the township building. Community members cited concerns over the facility's anticipated water use and the planned installation of 126 backup generators, arguing the project could create significant noise and environmental impacts for nearby neighborhoods.

During the hearing, township officials heard additional testimony and questioned representatives involved in the proposal as part of the ongoing review process that began last month. Officials said that even if approvals are granted, construction would not begin for approximately two years, leaving additional time for continued review and public input.

Monticello, Minnesota

Monticello officials emphasized that a proposed data center remains in the early stages of the approval process after determining the developer's application was incomplete and requesting additional information before formal review can begin. City staff said the proposal will not advance until the application is deemed complete, after which it will undergo technical review, a required Planning Commission public hearing, and review by both the Planning Commission and City Council before any final decision is made.

Data Centers | Monticello, MN

Learn more about proposed private data center developments in our community and the City’s role in the land use process.

Monticello Minnesota HomepageGovernment Websites by CivicPlus®

Officials stressed that submitting an application does not guarantee approval, noting the project must comply with the city's recently adopted Data Center Planned Unit Development ordinance, demonstrate adequate infrastructure capacity, minimize community impacts, and satisfy state regulatory requirements. Residents will have formal opportunities to participate by speaking at the required public hearing or submitting written comments for inclusion in the official project record, while city officials reiterated they cannot prejudge or discuss how they will vote on the pending application. As of this week, no public hearing has been scheduled.

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