One Town Stands Alone in a Nationwide Rejection of Data Centers
While voters across the country delivered a stern rebuke of data centers on Tuesday, one tiny North Dakota town offered a starkly different verdict. In Harwood, a community of about 940 people, residents voted down a measure that would have given them a greater say in how large projects, such as AI data centers, are constructed in the town, Business Insider reported.
The vote wasn’t close. The other 44 fell on the anti-data-center side, a finding confirmed by Redbud Consulting, a ballot tracking firm.
The $3 Billion Project in Their Backyard
For Harwood, the issue is germane. The project, being built by Applied Digital, hopes to employ 200 people—a number equal to about 20% of the city’s population.
Mark Coolidge, a 59-year-old resident who voted for the measure, told Business Insider.
“Many in town didn’t even know what that was or meant,” he said. “Yet it only took 21 days from the time it was announced to the time construction began.”
Proud to be building in Harwood, North Dakota. @APLDdigital Bloomberg reports that roughly 75% of Harwood voters rejected a measure that would have created new barriers to industrial development, including data centers. North Dakota’s strength starts with its people:… https://t.co/saMinBomqU
A Mayor’s Calculus: Securing a Future or Selling Out?
The push for more local control came after a series of contentious city council meetings, including one in which anti-data-center protesters were ejected by sheriffs. The town’s leadership saw things differently. Blake Hankey, the mayor of Harwood, who signed a non-disclosure agreement with Applied Digital, said he didn’t support the measure.
It would not have affected the existing data center, which is set to be completed next year, but would have applied to all future construction projects that met a criteria of scale, requiring independent assessments and mandatory public hearings.
“I don’t regret signing it.”
The National Backlash Against AI’s Appetite for Power
The resistance in Harwood stands in contrast to the national trend. Americans worry about the environmental impact, about electric bills, or the water supply. Many just don’t like AI.
As one resident bluntly put it, “It’s all about money.”
❗️I found one place where the vote seems to have landed pro-data center — in tiny HARWOOD, ND, where voters rejected a charter amendment requiring independent review of large industrial projects (Applied Digital is already building a data center nearby; the mayor called the… pic.twitter.com/X9kw1WQhPf
Worth a look
Missouri Democrats Flip 16 House Seats to Break Republican Supermajority
Missouri Democrats Shatter Supermajority in Historic Election Night “People have been noticing over the last five to 10...
Obituary: Richard Anthony Pechacek, 79, of River Falls, Wisconsin
Richard Anthony Pechacek, age 79, of River Falls, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully at his home on November 4,...
Detroit hosts Diwali celebrations on November 7
Detroit's November Unveils a Calendar of Light, Legacy, and Local Connection As the political dust settles post-Election Day,...
Aura Lab Wellness Debuts Caviar Renewal Facial at The Ivy
An evening of skincare, wine, and cigars debuting the Caviar Renewal Luxe Lift Facial with Aura Lab Wellness...