New Analyses Find Overwhelming Opposition to Wisconsin Data Centers Across the State

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — New analyses have found that Wisconsinites across the state and across political affiliations strongly dislike data data centers, citing concerns around affordability, energy and water. Sierra Club Wisconsin, the WEBB, Moms Clear Air Force, and Healthy Climate Wisconsin examined comments from two Public Service Commission (PSC) cases: WEC’s large customer tariff and bespoke resources docket, and Alliant Energy’s customer contract for the Beaver Dam data center. Both cases demonstrated widespread concern over data centers in Wisconsin.

Key findings include:

• 98.5% of comments disapproved of WEC’s tariff structures on data centers as currently proposed.
• 96.7% of comments opposed Alliant’s proposal for a Beaver Dam data center.
• 93% of verbal comments and 85% of written public comments in the Alliant Energy customer contract for a Beaver Dam data center case said that data centers should pay for 100% of their costs.
• Recent polling by Wisconsin Conservation Voters found that 93% of Wisconsinites think that data centers should be required to pay for all of their own energy use and 84% expressed concern about the cost of electricity.
• In many local elections this April, candidates who ran on platforms opposing data centers won by significant margins.

The full analysis is available here and the webinar can be found here.

The coalition released the following statements:

Cassie Steiner, Senior Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club Wisconsin: “The numbers speak for themselves– Wisconsinites far and away don’t want data centers in their communities, and they certainly don’t want to be on the hook for paying for them. The PSC is required to consider all of the public comments, as well as our extensive expert reports and testimony. When properly considering everything, the decision is clear. Why should Wisconsinites have to subsidize costs for the largest and richest tech companies in the world? If Big Tech wants to come to Wisconsin and use Wisconsin resources, they better figure out a way to pay for it themselves.”

Jayne Black, Wisconsin Field Organizer, Moms Clean Air Force: “Moms across Wisconsin want our families protected from the air pollution caused by fossil fuel–powered electricity for data centers. These facilities degrade air quality, threaten our health, drive up electric bills, and worsen climate change. That is why we urged the Public Service Commission to put Wisconsinites’ health and well-being first— because every family deserves clean air, not more pollution and higher energy bills.”

Yusuf Adama, Just Transition Organizer, Wisconsin Ecojustice Base Builders: “Here at The WEBB at Walnut way we care about the voices of Wisconsin residents. They have spoken with clarity and consistency: people do not want billion-dollar data center costs shifted onto households, communities, and future generations while their concerns about water, health, pollution, and affordability are pushed aside. As Wisconsin Ecojustice Base Builders, we believe these public comments are not background noise or a box to check, they are lived testimony from the very people the Public Service Commission is supposed to protect. A just process means valuing people’s voices as evidence, treating community concerns as central to decision-making, and ensuring that public policy serves residents before private profit.”

Brittany Keyes, Clean Air Policy Manager, Healthy Climate Wisconsin: “From WCV’s statewide polling to last week’s spring election results, it is clear that communities across Wisconsin value our water, air, and access to affordable energy.  Appreciating Wisconsin has been left completely vulnerable, with big tech incentives and no protections, it is clear Wisconsinites are prioritizing transparency, environmental protections, and community health at the polls. Big tech should pay their own way, and regulators and lawmakers should make sure this happens.”

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.