MEQUON, Wis. — As massive data center developments and major new energy infrastructure projects move forward across Wisconsin, Democratic congressional candidate Brad Smith is calling for greater transparency, stronger protections for residents and coordinated action across federal, state and local government.

“Massive data center development in our communities is a significant concern,” Smith said. “No community should be kept in the dark while these are being planned or left guessing about the impacts these massive data centers will have on its water, its electricity costs, or its environment.”

Smith believes the scale of these projects demands cooperation rather than government entities working independently of one another.

Data centers and the infrastructure required to support them can touch federal energy and environmental policy, state utility regulation and legislation, regional grid planning, local zoning and permitting, water resources, property rights, roads and other public infrastructure. Smith believes elected officials at every level have a responsibility to work together while ensuring the people who live in affected communities have a meaningful voice in the process.

“We need detailed regulatory hurdles, transparency requirements, and serious penalties for violations so citizens know they will not be harmed by these developments,” Smith said. “We must protect our people and our environment, while enabling communities to discuss and decide what is best for them.”

That approach stands in contrast to Rep. Glenn Grothman’s response as concerns about data center development have grown across Wisconsin.

When recently asked whether Wisconsin residents should bear the energy costs associated with massive data centers, Grothman would not commit to protecting ratepayers, responding, “It varies in different situations.” Grothman also declined to comment when reporters asked Wisconsin lawmakers about concerns surrounding Foxconn’s shift toward artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure.

Smith believes residents deserve a much clearer answer.

Wisconsin families, farmers and small businesses should not be expected to subsidize massive technology companies or bear the costs created by their developments.

The issue extends beyond the data centers themselves. Wisconsin is simultaneously confronting major changes to its electrical infrastructure as demand on the grid grows.

One example is the proposed Bell Center–Columbia–Sugar Creek–Illinois/Wisconsin State Line (BECI) project, an approximately 190-mile, 765-kV transmission project currently in the early planning and public-input stage. Its study area crosses nine Wisconsin counties, including several communities within the 6th Congressional District.

For Smith, projects of this magnitude demonstrate why federal representatives cannot simply defer responsibility to another level of government.

A member of Congress should be willing to work with federal regulators, Wisconsin lawmakers and regulators, county and municipal governments, utilities, organized labor, farmers, landowners and residents to understand how these projects intersect and ensure communities are represented throughout the process.

“Economic development and new technology must never come at the expense of the people who already live here, whether that means higher utility bills, depleted natural resources, threats to public health and safety, or lasting damage to our communities,” Smith said. “Government at every level should be working together to make sure Wisconsin communities have the information, protections and voice they deserve. That is the kind of partner I intend to be in Congress.”