Nobody's negotiating for the people here': comedian Charlie Berens takes on AI datacenters

"Vantage Data Centers claimed the $8 bn project would largely run on zero-emission energy resources like solar, wind and battery storage. The company said the campus would bring thousands of temporary construction jobs and potentially more than 1,000 permanent jobs to Port Washington, a city of 13,000 people about a half-hour north of Milwaukee."

"Residents opposed the project for what they said was lack of transparency and criticized the lucrative tax incentives offered to Vantage. They worried about the strain on local water and energy sources from an enormous 1.3-gigawatt project that could ultimately span 1,900 acres."

"The deal between Port Washington and Vantage gave an estimated $458m in tax breaks to the developer over 20 years to fund infrastructure for the project, with the city not seeing any of that tax revenue during that period. It was shocking, Berens said."

"Berens, who shot to internet fame with his Manitowoc Minute videos that play on midwestern quirks and stereotypes, had his own reservations about the artificial intelligence datacenter boom. A Milwaukee-area native who still lives in the city, he'd heard about the potential environmental hazards, the steep rise in energy costs for neighbors and noise pollution, among other risks."

Vantage Data Centers proposed an $8 billion datacenter campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin, claiming it would rely largely on zero-emission resources such as solar, wind, and battery storage. The project was expected to create thousands of temporary construction jobs and more than 1,000 permanent jobs. Residents opposed the plan, citing limited transparency and criticizing lucrative tax incentives. They raised concerns about strain on local water and energy systems from a 1.3-gigawatt facility that could cover up to 1,900 acres. Charlie Berens, a Milwaukee-area comedian, received messages from concerned residents and investigated state and local actions enabling the project. He highlighted the deal’s estimated $458 million in tax breaks over 20 years, with no tax revenue returning to the city during that period.

Read at www.theguardian.com