MARSHALL, MI (WTVB) – A standard development meeting in Marshall last night turned into a scene of defiance as dozens of residents packed a small hearing room to protest a proposed data center and gas generation plant.
The project, though not even listed on the evening’s official agenda, drew the largest crowd in the board’s history, forcing officials to scramble for extra seating.
The tension stems from a unanimous vote October 30 by the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) to enter a purchase agreement with Alterra Development for land within Brooks Industrial Park. Many residents say they were left in the dark until just days ago.
Others echoed the sentiment, noting that the crowd would have “packed out the door” if the community had received proper notice. The atmosphere grew heated at several points, with the board using a gavel to restore order amid chants of, “We don’t want it!”
The proposed site includes the Brooks Wetland, a point of contention for conservation-minded residents who also questioned the long-term economic promises often associated with data centers. The argued the facilities offer few permanent jobs once construction concludes and expressed fears that local utility rates could spike to support the high energy demands of the plant.
The resistance in Marshall mirrors a growing statewide movement. Protesters recently gathered at the Michigan Capitol to decry data center projects, and many Marshall residents compared the current situation to the controversial Ford BlueOval Battery Park development, where they felt similarly ignored.
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