Metro-east cities face data center development risks. Here’s what to know

Community organizations say East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights are most likely to receive data center development proposals in the metro-east. Local groups gathered April 25 to discuss the impacts of data centers and to urge residents to prepare before developers arrive.

FULL STORY: These metro-east cities are most likely to get data center proposals, groups say

Here are key takeaways:

• About 40 people attended a town hall at Southern Mission Missionary Baptist Church in East St. Louis, organized by groups including United Congregations of Metro-East, Citizens Utility Board, Equity Legal Services, Centreville Citizens for Change and Faith in Place.

• Organizers argue data centers are often built in low-income communities of color, sometimes called “sacrifice zones.” They raised concerns about energy and water needs, noise, pollution and long-term viability.

• Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis already struggle with failing stormwater and sewage infrastructure. Heavy rain can cause to spill into streets, a public lake and residents’ properties.

• “We already don’t have working stormwater infrastructure. We already don’t have working sewage infrastructure. Putting another huge industry on top of that will only make it worse,” said Kennedy Moehrs Gardner, an attorney for Equity Legal Services.

• Scott Allen of the Citizens Utility Board warned that offers of tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue make neglected communities vulnerable to “exploitation” by data center developers.

• Organizers urged residents to educate neighbors, attend City Council meetings and advocate for community protections in proposed state legislation.

• Faith in Place’s Wade Halva linked the data center boom to Artificial Intelligence demand, urging community members to think “judiciously” about where AI use is necessary.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.