The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the internet. It is also changing the physical landscape of communities across Wisconsin, as an influx of tech companies seek to build “hyperscale” data centers that support AI.
These facilities consume as much energy as mid- or large-size cities, use an enormous amount of water, and occupy hundreds or even thousands of acres. The implications are significant for Wisconsin’s communities, economy, ratepayers, and environment.
The Sierra Club, along with our partners at Healthy Climate Wisconsin, Midwest Environmental Advocates, and Wisconsin Green Fire, created this toolkit to help Wisconsinites understand what hyperscale data centers are, what impacts they have, and what local communities and concerned citizens can do to mitigate the worst impacts.
Download the toolkit, Big Tech Unchecked: A toolkit for community action here.
The toolkit is 34 pages. Download individual sections of the toolkit here:
- What are Hyperscale data centers and why are they coming to Wisconsin
- Electricity and hyperscale data centers
- Health and hyperscale data centers
- Water and local impacts of hyperscale data centers
- Hyperscale data centers and transparency
- Local Permitting Process
- State Permitting
- Wisconsin Public Service Commission and hyperscale data centers
- Organizing your community
- Spreading awareness about hyperscale data centers
- Case Studies: Communities Push Back on hyperscale data centers
Putting guardrails on these newly proposed data centers is critical to protect our water, climate, and communities. Please use and share this toolkit as needed.