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Public raises concerns about proposed Marshall-area data centers, energy and water impacts
Summary
At the Dec. 18 meeting citizens warned a proposed 1.4‑gigawatt data‑center study could strain local electricity and water supplies, raise utility costs, and serve major tech firms; commenter also linked data centers to surveillance risks and referenced Palantir and GEO Group.
During public comment at the Dec. 18 Calhoun County meeting, Barry Wynn Adams raised environmental, fiscal and governance concerns about a recent Marshall LDFA agreement to pursue a viability study for a proposed data center corridor stretching from Industrial Drive to Stewart Lake.
Adams said the study contemplates a 1.4‑gigawatt facility that he claimed would use more than three times the electricity of the city of Marshall and require “huge amounts of water usage.” He warned that if such a facility tied into the local grid it could increase utility costs for residents. Adams also said groups behind these proposals often act as fronts for large tech companies and cited GEO Group as an example of private detention operations in Michigan.
Adams expressed broader political and civic concerns: he said many proposals around the state have drawn backlash and suggested vendors and incentive packages should be scrutinized. He also raised national surveillance concerns, mentioning Palantir by name.
Adams returned during the second public‑comment period to reiterate tax and megasite worries and to criticize subsidies tied to the Marshall megasite and related projects.
The transcript records these comments as public testimony; no board motion, staff direction, or factual rebuttal from county staff or other officials appears in the meeting record.
Provenance: Public comments by Barry Wynn Adams at the Dec. 18 meeting.
