The proposed data center in Howell Township is currently on hold after the planning commission voted against the plan during its meeting Tuesday.
The project, reportedly supported by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, would have transformed agricultural land near Grand River Avenue and Flemming Road into one of the company’s latest artificial intelligence and cloud computing facilities.
The data center was planned to occupy more than 1,000 acres of farmland, sparking concerns among Livingston County residents. Many who spoke at the Sept. 23 meeting expressed worries about the potential impact on water resources, electricity costs and the environment.
Data center proposals like this one are emerging at a time when electricity bills nationwide are rising rapidly — twice the rate of inflation, according to federal data. Growing evidence suggests that some regular Americans’ bills are increasing to subsidize the massive energy needs of Big Tech companies.
Related: Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined
Van Gilder Farms, which owns a significant portion of the proposed site, supports the project. Its statement can be read below.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the project will be revisited in the future.