Manitowoc County is moving closer to a moratorium on data centers.
The county’s Park and Plan Commission unanimously approved moving a petition from the Towns of Mishicot, Two Rivers, and Two Creeks to put a pause on applications, permits, or approvals for the placement or construction of a data center.
Many residents came to speak out in support of the moratorium after several hearings about rezoning.
Town of Mishicot Resident Susan Dirkmann said, “Our rural towns are agricultural powerhouses and the backbone of this country. Their purpose is to feed the people. Our towns are not industrial wastelands.”
A Manitowoc resident and environmental science graduate told the commission, “Regular-sized data centers can use roughly the same amount of water as a small town. In contrast, larger ones consume upwards of 5 million gallons of water per day, equivalent to the water use of a town of a population of 10,000 to 50,000 people.”
Town of Mishicot Board Member Lee Stafaniak also credited the county’s commission for voting on the moratorium, saying the land in Manitowoc County needs to stay preserved.
“One of these proposed sites would take 600 of such acres out of production. That’s an atrocity,” he exclaimed. “I plowed that land; I’ve harvested on that land. I can’t say enough against this.”
Chairman James Falkowski says that before this moratorium, the county had nothing on data centers.
The commission’s ordinance changes that, “So that one year of time gives us the opportunity to look at other models and look at deficiencies that had occurred at other locations,” he explained. “And so, it’s the benefit for our community basically to address this.”
Even though he won’t be on the county board in April when this will be voted on, Falkowski says he would still support it because county leaders need to get information within the year they’re given.
He wants to see facts over values on the issue as well.
“If all it is to reenforce your values, well that’s not really getting you to the point,” he stated. “At least from an elected standpoint, from the responsibilities of your duties, that’s where you should be headed. Not necessarily throwing your own opinions and shooting from the hip.”
The ordinance will now move to the full county board of supervisors, which meets in April.
If supervisors pass it, then the moratorium will take effect.
The issue of data centers came up specifically in the Town of Mishicot after landowners said they had been contacted by groups seeking to buy their land for a data center.
The petition was then created by the towns.
Once the moratorium ends, the county could request that it remain in effect for an additional 6 months.
