What was said about data centers in Missouri
51 statements from 30 speakers, grouped by who spoke. Each appears as said, with the date and the source. No verdict is attached.
From August 16, 2026 to October 2, 2026. Statements from every state are on Statements.
Data center companies 2
Developers, operators and builders of data centers and the technology companies that fill them, speaking through their staff and spokespeople. Every state.
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Katie Ottenweller, Google energy market development, stated Google will pay for 100% of power costs to serve data center operations
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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
Government 19
Officials in office, lawmakers, regulators, public agencies and courts, federal, state, tribal and local. Every state.
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Missouri House Speaker
Jon Patterson said he could see legislation on data center energy use and transparency requirements.
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Missouri House Speaker
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.
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Ferguson city council member
Nick Kasoff, council member, said the development would help city get out of financial crisis
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Ferguson city council member
David Williams said the development will take the city out of financial troubles and spur economic growth
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Ferguson city council member
Nick Kasoff said after this year the financial crisis will get worse if the city makes it through this year
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State Sen. (R-Grain Valley)
State Sen. Joe Nicola plans to file legislation for the upcoming session regulating AI and data centers
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State Rep. (R-St. Charles)
State Rep. Colin Wellenkamp announced plans to lead legislation regulating AI data centers and placing guardrails on companies
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State Representative, R-St. Charles
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
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Geoff Marke, Missouri Office of Public Counsel chief economist, stated public counsel recommends community support be required for AI data center companies
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Governor
Gov. Mike Kehoe has repeatedly touted the benefits of building data centers in the state
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Presiding Commissioner Dave Schatz did not vote for Crooked Creek rezoning
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State Representative
Rep. Jeff Myers represents District 42, which includes Montgomery and Warren Counties, where a large data center is being built
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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
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Adrian Shropshire, Ferguson mayor, opposed the data center proposal and plans to vote against it
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Three State Representatives, Missouri Workers Center, Missouri Rural Crisis Centers
All speakers at the meeting opposed data centers in St. Francois County
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Desloge Mayor
Mayor Pete Pasternak opposed the data center idea and cited excessive noise as a common complaint
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Desloge Mayor
Pasternak stated there were no formal plans for a data center in Desloge
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Maryville City Councilwoman
Erin Allen expressed concerns about water sourcing from Mozingo Lake for White Cloud Acres project
Chief executives 1
Chief executives, presidents, founders and chairs of companies, in technology, data centers, power and elsewhere. Every state.
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Ridgley farm owner
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.
Advocates and residents 12
Advocacy and community groups on every side, residents, neighbors and people speaking at public meetings. Every state.
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New Florence farmer Bob Ridgley expressed concern that Montgomery County data center development will forever change his family's relationship with their land
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Rhonda Perry, Farmer and Missouri Rural Crisis Center Executive Director, reported thousands more are organizing in their communities and demanded a moratorium
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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.
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Ozark County farmer Wren Haffner expressed concern that data centers will affect the aquifer she relies on
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Ozark County farmer
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
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protester from Festus, Missouri
Gabe Cotton says you can delay democracy but you cannot stop it
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rally attendees and organizers
Protesters called for health and environmental protections, barring tax incentives for data centers, and requiring transparency and community buy in.
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protester from Festus
Gabe Cotton of Festus said protesters are not against development, but against irresponsible and destructive development
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horticulture educator University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension
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
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Nodaway County resident
Scott Wilson expressed concerns about city water supply to White Cloud Acres project
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Blake Hurst, a Missouri farmer, is welcoming data centers
Researchers and analysts 14
Universities, research institutes, think tanks, pollsters, economists and consultants. Every state.
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Kasey Fowler-Finn, St. Louis University professor
Data center noise increases cortisol, cardiovascular risk, and decreases cognitive functioning, especially in children.
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Kasey Fowler-Finn, St. Louis University professor
Data center noise is concentrated in low frequencies, making it sound like a hum that stands out from broadband traffic noise.
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Kasey Fowler-Finn, St. Louis University professor
Low frequency data center noise can travel 800 feet or further, with greatest impacts up to 3,000 feet away.
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St. Louis University professor
Fowler Finn said the 600 foot setbacks are woefully insufficient because the most severe impacts fall within 3,000 feet.
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Kasey Fowler-Finn, St. Louis University professor
Low frequency hum from a data center can travel 800 feet or further, compared to traffic sound at 300 feet
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Kasey Fowler-Finn, St. Louis University professor
Greatest area of impact from large data centers is 3,000 feet, about half a mile
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Murry Burgess, assistant professor at Mississippi State University
Migrating birds use stars as compass for travel paths, and light pollution obscures stars throwing them off course
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physics professor and board member DarkSky Missouri
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
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assistant professor Mississippi State University
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
Other voices 3
Journalists, lawyers, former officials, and speakers the source describes in words that name none of the groups above. Every state.
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TerraWatt partner
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.
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Amity Shedd
AI use growing, data centers expanding nationwide, raising questions about energy, water, noise and siting
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Christopher Desloge of Desloge Consolidated presented concept for data centers using flooded lead mine water for cooling
The group comes from the words the source gives for the speaker; how the groups are read. Every statement on the record is in CSV and JSON, with its group and its state.
