The fight in Saline illustrates both the depth of public opposition and the difficulty of finding policy solutions.
After months of contentious public meetings, the township board voted 4-1 in September to deny rezoning for the Stargate data center. Two days later, the developers and landowners sued the township.
Facing costly litigation, officials reached a consent judgment in October allowing construction to proceed.
The settlement provided some $14 million in community benefits, including farmland preservation and fire services, along with restrictions on water use and noise. Opponents have challenged the agreement in court.
Builders broke ground on June 1 with Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman in attendance.
The project will create more than 2,500 union construction jobs, 1,500 countywide jobs, more than 450 permanent jobs and billions in tax revenue, according to developers.
But local opposition remains strong.
"We really just didn't think it was fair that our board got forced into this position," said community activist Bruneau, who had never previously been involved in local politics.
She worries about groundwater contamination and electricity costs.
Bruneau is hardly alone, she said, with opposition crossing party lines: "We've met people from extreme right and left, and all the way in the middle.”
Beverly Kincaid, 56, a Republican who lives near the township, said data centers will be a central issue for her when she votes in November.
In Saline, she said, “big money pushed their way around.”
A spokesperson for data-center developer and investment company Related Digital said in an email that the company is "committed to responsible development," including "protecting Michigan’s water by using closed-loop, air cooling systems" and preserving "750 acres of farmlands, wetlands and woodlands."
In a statement, an Oracle spokesperson said the company will fund all of the energy and infrastructure needed for the data center, "ensuring no impact on local ratepayer bills or grid reliability."
Sandy Baruah, president of the Detroit Regional Chamber, said critics were missing the big picture: "For those of us who are involved in efforts to grow Michigan's economy, to create more jobs, it is truly puzzling.”
Laura Dennison sees both sides of the issue. The 42-year-old in Royal Oak worries about the agricultural impact of data centers. But researchers are also using AI to better understand her son’s rare medical condition.
"It doesn't matter if you're the person running for office or you're the person impacted by it," she said. "There’s so many unknowns."
(Reporting by Helen Coster in Saline Township, Michigan, and Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Jesse Mesner-Hage and Matthew Lewis)
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