Wisconsin environmental advocates meet in Milwaukee to discuss data center impacts

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Environment advocacy groups from throughout Wisconsin met on Thursday night, Dec. 18, in Milwaukee for a panel discussion to discuss the impacts AI data centers could have on the state.

“Data centers are gonna have a big impact in our local communities and across the state, so we just want to make sure we’re engaging in some dialogue and talking through some ideas together,” Clean Wisconsin Climate and Air Program Director Chelsea Chandler said.

Chandler raised concerns about energy demand on Thursday night and says two AI data centers would use more energy than all of the homes in Wisconsin combined.

“We just want to make sure that any new businesses that are coming to Wisconsin can do that in a way that’s not creating new environmental harms and that is creating benefits to our communities,” Chandler said.

Tom Content is the executive director of the Citizens Utility Board and spoke about the impacts AI data centers could have on the energy grid along with the costs that could be coming for Wisconsinites.

“The big deal about these is AI and the fact that AI data centers use so much more energy,” Content said. “If the AI bubble bursts, are we going to be left holding the bag?”

Joel Brammeier is the President and CEO of the Alliance for Great Lakes and was on the panel to talk about potential water impacts.

“Part of the reason businesses locate in the great lakes region is because of access to clean, cold, and relatively cheap and abundant fresh water,” Brammeier said. “We want to make sure the planning for data centers is actually happening before we make irrevocable decisions about how that water gets used for decades to come.”

Robin Palm attended the panel on Thursday night, he is a local urban planner and understands why data centers are coming to Wisconsin.

“I think it makes more sense environmentally here than they do other places,” Palm said. “You can even make it a net positive if you utilize it right, I think the danger is because the positions are either no or yes, it’s very, very hard for someone to be like hey how about we just do this better.”