Some communities have already implemented or are considering data center moratoriums at the local level.
But Michigan Senator Jim Runestad says a statewide pause on new development is needed while legislators assess possible regulations.
“There’s so much that, if we move quickly, I think that we can come to a resolution quite quickly – I really do – in terms of putting these guardrails in place.”
Runestad plans to join a bipartisan group of lawmakers for a rally at the Michigan Capitol, where they will call on leadership to hold committee hearings on possible protections.
Senate Democrats introduced their own plan last week to cap data centers’ water use and stop utility costs from being passed on to other customers.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has voiced support for those guardrails.