Michigan environmentalists are using growing concerns about AI safety to call for a pause in new data center projects.
Representatives from a handful of groups gathered in Lansing Tuesday to speak with lawmakers and reporters.
Advocates shared worries about largescale data centers’ use of water, energy, and the influence big tech companies have exerted over communities where they’re located.
Kendell Joseph is a software engineer based in Grand Rapids who also works with the group Voters Not Politicians. Joseph argued the framing of AI as something that will either destroy humanity or solve all its problems is a distraction from pressing issues.
Joseph said the vast physical footprint of hyperscale data centers means regulating AI needs to go far beyond the technology itself.
“It requires an interdisciplinary conversation with engineers, utilities, contractors, developers, business owners, environmental experts, local officials and, most importantly, the people who live in the communities,” he told reporters.
It’s the second time in as many weeks the coalition gathered at the state Capitol to press lawmakers. Many in the crowd carried signs that read “No Data Centers.”
Marta Johnson is a legislative and political organizer for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. She said the much of the group would like to see lawmakers put a moratorium on approving new data center projects while policymakers figure out how to respond.
Michigan lawmakers in both chambers of the state Legislature have introduced bills to further regulate data centers. But nothing has moved so far despite bipartisan calls to do something.
Johnson said she’s not so concerned with the details of the legislation anymore.
“We need to see these bills moving. We need to see the process where we can engage, where we can provide testimony, where we can engage in the process. But, right now, that’s not happening because they’re not holding the hearings yet and they’re not bringing these bills up for a vote,” Johnson said.
State Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) is among the lawmakers who have sponsored new data center regulations. Despite Republican House leadership saying it also wanted to see stronger policies, nothing has moved.
The package sponsored by House Democrats is currently stalled in committee and unlikely to move before the end of the term.
Andrews said he gets the frustration, but he doesn’t see a moratorium helping. Especially since he fears businesses could get the wrong message if the state switches course so soon on a relatively new industry.
“Doing a moratorium gives everybody a pause, and I don’t think we want to indicate that the doors are closed to development in Michigan because we desperately need growth. So, I would just say, we’ve got the guardrail bills, they’re in good shape, we can get this done and we should just get it done,” Andrews said.
He said he believes, if not this year, something will get done early next year.
