Data centers in Missouri

"We're at a pivotal moment with our infrastructure. It's aging while our communities and industries are demanding more from it."

"This large-load tariff enabled us to, before we connect these customers, they have to sign these contracts. Because we understand the costs that could be required to serve them. They have to pay that cost."

"We have our internal construction team, our operations team, we have the trade unions. We have our general contractors, subcontractors, and local community colleges all here to share opportunities available for the projects."

"The role of the public health department does not stop at municipal boundaries. We're watching what's happening across the country. And what we're hearing now are there are some data centers in place that produce this low frequency rumbling noise that disrupts folks that are close by, and we need to get in front of that."

Drawing on his architectural experience, Smead said existing building codes do not adequately address the demands of large data center facilities.

Jon Patterson said he could see legislation on data center energy use and transparency requirements.

Jon Patterson, House Speaker, said on October 2, 2026 that he doesn't support statewide bans or moratoriums on hyperscale data centers and believes decisions should be made locally.

"My view is that people would love some relief in the price of their gas. They would love some relief in the price of their health care. They would love some rights vis a vis these data centers. If it were me, I would make those things priorities."

Data center noise increases cortisol, cardiovascular risk, and decreases cognitive functioning, especially in children.

Data center noise is concentrated in low frequencies, making it sound like a hum that stands out from broadband traffic noise.

Low frequency data center noise can travel 800 feet or further, with greatest impacts up to 3,000 feet away.

Fowler Finn said the 600 foot setbacks are woefully insufficient because the most severe impacts fall within 3,000 feet.

Low frequency hum from a data center can travel 800 feet or further, compared to traffic sound at 300 feet

Greatest area of impact from large data centers is 3,000 feet, about half a mile

Vernon Norman, Republican nominee for State Senate District 14, calls on Ferguson City Council to reject tax abatement package for data center project at former Emerson Electric campus

Nick Kasoff, council member, said the development would help city get out of financial crisis

David Williams said the development will take the city out of financial troubles and spur economic growth

Nick Kasoff said after this year the financial crisis will get worse if the city makes it through this year

New Florence farmer Bob Ridgley expressed concern that Montgomery County data center development will forever change his family's relationship with their land

Rhonda Perry, Farmer and Missouri Rural Crisis Center Executive Director, reported thousands more are organizing in their communities and demanded a moratorium

Nichole Flowers Kimmerle, horticulture educator at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Extension, states about one out of every three bites of food produced in the U.S. is dependent on insect or animal pollinators.

Ozark County farmer Wren Haffner expressed concern that data centers will affect the aquifer she relies on

State Sen. Joe Nicola plans to file legislation for the upcoming session regulating AI and data centers

Wren Haffner, farmer from Ozark County, says anyone who grows food knows you cannot grow food without water and calls for moratorium until water resources protected

State Rep. Colin Wellenkamp announced plans to lead legislation regulating AI data centers and placing guardrails on companies

Gabe Cotton says you can delay democracy but you cannot stop it

David Lambiaso, partner in TerraWatt, filed a suit against the city's Board of Adjustment over renewable energy requirements and community benefits agreement approval conditions.

Colin Wellenkamp says protections are needed to secure water and power resources and prohibit utility cost increases from being passed to Missourians that benefit only private AI companies

Protesters called for health and environmental protections, barring tax incentives for data centers, and requiring transparency and community buy in.

Data center projects have already been greenlit around mid Missouri, including Montgomery and Callaway Counties, with one project in construction within a mile of Ridgley's farm.

Katie Ottenweller, Google energy market development, stated Google will pay for 100% of power costs to serve data center operations

Geoff Marke, Missouri Office of Public Counsel chief economist, stated public counsel recommends community support be required for AI data center companies

Gabe Cotton of Festus said protesters are not against development, but against irresponsible and destructive development

Gov. Mike Kehoe has repeatedly touted the benefits of building data centers in the state

Presiding Commissioner Dave Schatz did not vote for Crooked Creek rezoning

Steve Smith, City Foundry STL developer, proposed keeping the planned data center while preserving the Armory as an entertainment venue instead of converting it to corporate offices

Migrating birds use stars as compass for travel paths, and light pollution obscures stars throwing them off course

Vayujeet Gokhale, physics professor at Truman State University and board member for DarkSky Missouri, advocates for responsible outdoor lighting at data centers using downward pointing lights, motion detectors, and warm colored lights to minimize light pollution without affecting data center operations

Murry Burgess, assistant professor at Mississippi State University specializing in ornithology and urban ecology, states that light pollution obscures stars used by migratory birds for navigation, causing them to expend more energy and resulting in increased window collisions and mortality

Nicole Flowers Kimmerle, horticulture educator for University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Extension, explains that artificial light at night disrupts nighttime pollinators' navigation, feeding, and mating behaviors, impacting food pollination and food webs

Rep. Jeff Myers represents District 42, which includes Montgomery and Warren Counties, where a large data center is being built

Nick Kasoff, Ferguson councilmember, said the plan would freeze the assessed value of the former Emerson campus at its 2024 assessment rate with a 75 percent tax abatement for the first 10 years

Adrian Shropshire, Ferguson mayor, opposed the data center proposal and plans to vote against it

All speakers at the meeting opposed data centers in St. Francois County

AI use growing, data centers expanding nationwide, raising questions about energy, water, noise and siting

Smead said he would support a national moratorium on data centers until there are standards for water and electricity use.

Mayor Pete Pasternak opposed the data center idea and cited excessive noise as a common complaint

Pasternak stated there were no formal plans for a data center in Desloge

Christopher Desloge of Desloge Consolidated presented concept for data centers using flooded lead mine water for cooling

Erin Allen expressed concerns about water sourcing from Mozingo Lake for White Cloud Acres project

Scott Wilson expressed concerns about city water supply to White Cloud Acres project

Randall Whitman, City of Ozark Community Development Director, said the regulations allow data centers in industrial districts after conditional use permit and hearing by Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Aldermen.

Blake Hurst, a Missouri farmer, is welcoming data centers

Holly Caviness stated closed loop cooling systems are not delivering the amount of water actually needed and local wells are drying up where data centers are located

Collin Clibon, St. Joseph City Council, stated AI data centers have huge impacts on ratepayers for electricity and water

Holly Caviness reported that utility prices have risen about 15 percent for businesses and residents where data centers are already built, affecting electric, gas and water bills

Holly Caviness, grassroots activist, stated residents learned about proposed data center through word of mouth and local media, not from elected officials

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley questioned U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about potential health impacts of over 3,000 data centers already in operation

Russell Gray, Missouri Workers Center volunteer, stated utility companies are building new gas fired power plants to meet data center demands and raising rates on consumers