Google's proposed Michigan data center cleared another major hurdle when township officials approved a site plan for the 1.5 million-square-foot campus.
Residents have fought this project for months over concerns about water use, noise, environmental damage, and property values.
Here's what to know
As MLive.com reported, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted 5-1 on Oct. 14 to approve the site plan for Project Cannoli, a 282-acre data center campus near Interstate 94 and Interstate 275, west of Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
The decision allows developer Panattoni to keep moving the project forward after months of public opposition in Wayne County, the publication said. That hostile response was evident in MLive.com's (@mlivenews) Instagram post, where commenters weighed in on the approval.
The scale of the proposed campus is a major reason for the strong backlash. MLive.com reported it is projected to use 2 million to 3.6 million gallons of water per day and require 1 gigawatt of electricity, roughly the amount used by 750,000 homes. Panattoni says the development is expected to employ 50 to 200 people.
That contrast appears to be fueling much of the frustration online.
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"How are these getting approved when literally no one wants them?!" a commenter wondered.
More background
What makes this project especially contentious is the amount of resources involved. The facility could reshape how nearby residents view local infrastructure, especially given the relatively small projected number of jobs.
Residents have also voiced concerns about noise, environmental impacts, and the possibility that nearby property values could decline if the massive campus is built as planned, per MLive.com.
The controversy has also extended beyond the township itself. In September, the outlet reported that Wayne County Executive Warren Evans vetoed $125 million in local tax incentives, arguing the approval process moved too quickly and didn't include enough public participation or independent analysis.
The Wayne County Commission overrode that veto, allowing the tax breaks to move ahead. Those incentives would reduce certain local property taxes tied to the development by 50% for 12 years.
"Why are big corporations allowed to bypass all our community zoning laws, planning commissions, city councils that don't want data centers??" a commenter asked.
What's being done?
At the utility level, MLive.com reported that one of the biggest developments is a conditional approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission for a 20-year agreement between Google and DTE Energy to supply electricity to the site.
Under that deal, Google would fund major grid investments and pay for at least 80% of its contracted electricity demand, whether it uses that power or not, the publication added. The agreement also includes financial protections intended to prevent other DTE customers from absorbing the project's costs.
At the project site, construction-related utility work is underway, MLive.com reported. DTE filings indicate the facility could begin drawing electricity as early as December 2027, with demand expected to peak by the end of 2028.
The comments made the gap between official approvals and public anger clear.
"What happened to We The People?" a commenter asked.
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