Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas recently spoke to Bloomberg about community engagement as developers look to convert golf courses into data center campuses. He emphasized that building trust requires more than financial incentives or community benefits—it requires giving residents a meaningful voice in shaping projects before key decisions are made. Read the full article HERE
This week’s Zoning In follows data center disputes from council chambers to the ballot box. Ohio voters will decide 21 local data center ballot issues, while San Diego unanimously approved a development moratorium and protests forced Hermantown to postpone votes on Google’s proposed campus. In Wisconsin, a $15 billion project is dividing Port Washington over competing visions of the community’s future. Additionally, bipartisan organizing, growing youth involvement and calls for enforceable community benefits underscore the […]
This week’s Zoning In covers Archbald, Pennsylvania’s unanimous rejection of a 14-building campus, a 14,800-signature petition seeking a data center referendum in Georgia, and bans or moratoriums across more than 100 New Jersey communities. In California, local restrictions continue to spread despite new state protections, while Georgia’s utility commission races put data center power costs squarely on the ballot. From school board opposition to lawsuits over alleged well contamination, communities are demanding more influence over […]
This week’s Zoning In highlights several major developments, including a proposed three-year statewide moratorium in Virginia, new restrictions in Maryland and Delaware, and a legal challenge to a $35 billion project in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, nearly $87 million has been spent on political ads mentioning data centers ahead of the midterms, and a new report estimates Georgia schools could lose $300 million this year due to data center tax exemptions. From heated town halls to lawsuits […]
With nearly $87 million spent on political advertising mentioning data centers, the industry’s growing community opposition is now taking center stage in the 2026 midterm elections. Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas recently spoke with Bisnow for its article, “Political Campaigns Have Spent $87M Making Data Centers A TV Villain,” examining how data center development has become a major political issue in races across the country. According to advertising analytics firm AdImpact, political campaigns and outside groups have […]
Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas recently spoke with the Financial Times’ Sustainable Views about how growing opposition to data center development is becoming a significant political issue ahead of the November midterm elections. In the article, “AI Boom Turns Energy Infrastructure Into US Election Issue,” Waitkunas discusses the bipartisan nature of community pushback, the growing political and financial risks facing developers, and why concerns about trust and transparency are increasingly overshadowing traditional issues such as electricity costs, […]
This week’s Zoning In highlights just how quickly the regulatory landscape around data centers is changing. California enacted a sweeping seven-bill package covering environmental review, energy, water, utility costs and land use, with Mayer Brown providing an excellent analysis of what the new laws mean for the industry. Virginia also introduced a new Data Center Accountability Framework, while new moratoriums and restrictions advanced in communities across Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado and Kentucky. Microsoft goes quiet after […]
Share One-hour in-person or remote session provides data center developers, operators, engineering firms and industry partners with practical strategies for navigating community engagement, local media relations, and community benefit agreements BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Milldam Public Relations, a leading strategic communications and community engagement firm specializing in the digital infrastructure sector, today announced the availability of a complimentary, one-hour Data Center Community Engagement Workshop designed to help organizations navigate the growing challenges surrounding community engagement, media scrutiny and […]
Adam Waitkunas recently joined NewsNation to discuss the growing community debate surrounding data center development, including a controversial proposal in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, where a developer has offered $10,000 to eligible households if its proposed data center project moves forward. The offer is part of a broader community benefits package that includes $45 million in direct household payments, $15 million for community programs and $105 million for township services. During the segment, Adam discussed why […]
This week’s Zoning In shows just how quickly the data center debate is moving from community concern to concrete political and regulatory action. California enacted seven new data center laws, Texas expanded its permitting pause, Prince William County ended new by-right development, and communities from Chicago and Oakland to Colorado, Oregon and New Hampshire are considering or adopting moratoriums. Maryland, meanwhile, is building community engagement, transparency and community benefits directly into its statewide review framework. […]
