Residents urge Leavenworth County commissioners to demand details, pause plans for proposed hyperscale data center

At a Leavenworth County Board of County Commissioners meeting, residents spent the public-comment period pressing commissioners for more information and a pause on plans for a proposed hyperscale data center commonly referred to in the record as Project Bluestem or Cloverleaf.

"What is the whole goal, and how are they gonna implement it?" Kim Colbert, a Tonganoxie resident, asked the board. Colbert said the proposed project’s reported scale had shifted — "first it was a 200 megawatt initial phase. Next, it was a 400 megawatt initial phase... 1st, it was a 600 total. Now it's 1.2 gigawatts" — and called on the county to demand a full, consistent plan that explains whether the site would host AI or cloud computing, what equipment and power sources would be used, and the long-range land-use plan for the thousand-acre parcel.

Health and safety were recurring themes. "Children are different. They're not just small adults," said Cecilia Pruett, a registered nurse. She raised concerns about infrasound, sleep disturbance and the health effects of air pollution and fine particulate matter near a preschool located less than a mile from the proposed site. Pruett referenced public-health literature while urging officials to weigh children's sensitivity when considering the project.

Other public commenters said the community lacks timely information and access. Timmy Cotton of Lansing said people he spoke to at a local store were unaware of the project and urged the county to hold evening town halls so more residents can attend. Another commenter asked whether the developer had placed earnest money on additional nearby parcels and whether the county had engaged independent specialists to evaluate impacts.

Jim Carlson, an educator from Tonganoxie, pointed to public records and state legislation in his remarks. Carlson said a memorandum of auction option for the Tailgate property was recorded March 3, 2025, before the legislature enacted an incentive package for hyperscale data centers. He said Senate Bill 98’s final form — which created a sales-tax exemption for qualified hyperscale data centers — was inserted late in the session and that the original fiscal note tied to related legislation (Senate Bill 51) was $9,800,000; Carlson warned the revised incentive could cost the state much more. He urged residents to ask candidates in the August 4 election about whether to amend the law.

Speakers urged local officials to consider temporary limits. One commenter asked the board to extend a moratorium; at least one speaker asked the commission to consider a two-year extension to allow fuller review and independent study. Sandra Bluntz, a Tonganoxie resident, asked commissioners to consider a one-year moratorium and raised questions about where the project would source water and electricity.

County staff and commissioners acknowledged the volume of public concern but did not announce any formal pause on project review during the meeting. The board moved through its regular agenda, including procurement and appointment items, and scheduled additional administrative business; speakers said a community information event is planned for July 12 at the VFW in Tonganoxie.

What the record shows and does not: commenters cited filings with the Leavenworth County Register of Deeds and public-health studies in their arguments; county staff described the county’s procedural options and application timelines. The commission did not vote at this meeting on any moratorium or on incentives tied to state law. The public-comment period closed without a formal board decision on the proposed data center.

The commission later proceeded to routine business and closed the meeting following a motion to adjourn.