LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After years of controversy surrounding megasite projects like the now-defunct Gotion battery plant and the failed MMIC proposal in Eagle Township, state officials, local politicians, and economic development groups appear to be shifting their focus to AI data centers – bringing many of the same concerns along with them.
From Van Buren Township to Saline and beyond, residents say they’re once again being blindsided by major developments – learning about projects only after key deals are already in place, leaving little time to fully examine or debate the potential impact on their communities.
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In Saline Township, like in many others, the Oracle/OpenAI proposal has raised questions about transparency, water use, power demand, and how much control local communities actually have when state-backed incentives are involved. But that didn’t stop it from happening.
Big projects, little warning again.
Statewide, the scale is growing quickly. Michigan currently has just two operating data centers, but more than a dozen additional projects are in development – fueling concerns about the strain on infrastructure. Data centers, particularly those tied to artificial intelligence, require enormous amounts of electricity and water, making them a focal point in communities already wary of rapid development.
Critics say the process feels like a repeat of the megasite push: limited public input, non-disclosure agreements shielding key details, and last-minute announcements followed by assurances that the impacts will be minimal.
Push and pull with data centers.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have introduced – but not passed – a bipartisan proposal to pause new data center approvals for one year to study potential effects on energy, water, and local communities.
However, Michigan lawmakers also passed bipartisan legislation in late 2024 and early 2025, signed by Governor Whitmer, to incentivize data center development in the state. The package includes long-term sales and use tax exemptions on equipment and construction for qualifying projects – some stretching decades – often rolled out with the same glossy, job-promising press releases that accompanied earlier megasite deals.
For many residents, the issue isn’t just about what’s being built – it’s how it’s being rolled out. And if recent patterns continue, more “surprise” announcements will most likely be on the horizon.
