Residents raise environmental, health and immigration concerns over proposed Google data center
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Summary
More than a dozen citizens urged the Fort Wayne council to halt or more tightly regulate a proposed Google data center (Project Zodiac), citing wetlands loss, water quality, PFAS concerns, utility-costs, tax abatements and demands to limit collaboration with ICE; speakers called for moratoriums and stronger community oversight.
A lengthy public-comment period at the Jan. 27 Fort Wayne Common Council meeting was dominated by opposition to a proposed Google data center (referred to in testimony as Project Zodiac) and by calls to limit local cooperation with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).
Speakers representing neighborhoods and community groups described environmental and public-health concerns, citing wetlands destruction, stormwater and flood risk, potential PFAS/PFA contamination and higher utility bills if a large data center is sited nearby. Several speakers questioned whether the city’s tax abatements and incentives match community benefit and asked the council to renegotiate or pause approvals. Kate Connor referenced a Jan. 26 settlement in which a major technology company agreed to pay $68 million over alleged improper recording and data practices, and asked if Fort Wayne wants to be associated with that company.
Citizens called for a two-year moratorium on data-center construction in the city, asked for more transparency and town‑hall style dialogue, and urged council members to use municipal levers such as rezoning, environmental review and conditional approvals to protect neighborhoods. Multiple speakers also urged the council to affirm sanctuary principles or prohibit local collaboration with ICE; commenters said immigrants and refugees in Fort Wayne feel unsafe and asked the council to take a public stance.
Several speakers noted dissatisfaction with a city‑hosted informational meeting and said corporate representatives limited which questions they answered. Speakers asked specific technical questions about baseline environmental studies, generator emissions, water and power capacity and the location of mitigations for destroyed wetlands. Council members acknowledged the volume of public concern and suggested continued engagement; Rev. Kimberly Cozan proposed creation of a mayoral sustainability or environmental advisory body to give the city and community a standing forum for these issues.
