Voters in a Wisconsin city passed the nation’s first anti-data center referendum Tuesday, aiming to restrict future development of the massive, energy-intensive facilities.
“Tonight, democracy worked the way it’s supposed to,” Christine Le Jeune with Great Lakes Neighbors Incorporated, a state-based citizens’ group, said in a statement. “Over 1,000 residents signed the petition that put this measure on the ballot, and tonight Port Washington voters spoke with one clear voice. The people deserve a seat at the table when their tax dollars are on the line.”
While the Port Washington referendum requires city leaders to get voter approval before awarding tax incentives to data center developers, it does not stop the $15 billion Vantage Data Centers project already under construction.