The Guardian
Menomonie residents derail Meta’s $1.6bn datacenter plan
Residents of Menomonie, Wisconsin, successfully blocked Meta’s proposed $1.6 billion AI datacenter campus. The city has about 17,000 residents, and the planned 320-acre site outside town was expected to use 75,000 gallons of water daily. Consultants did not disclose the company’s identity when pitching the project to a newly elected local councilwoman.
What to know
- 01
The proposed campus covered 320 acres, with estimated water use of 75,000 gallons per day.
- 02
Newly elected councilwoman Sydney Brennan was invited to a project pitch weeks after taking office, while the technology company behind it remained undisclosed.
Why it matters
The case illustrates the local community resistance facing large datacenter projects amid the AI boom.
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