Update: No More Data Centers in St. Louis- TIME TO FIGHT BACK!
Fight 1: The Armory Data Center, Round 2
Since last September, over 13,000 of you have signed this petition calling for a moratorium on data centers in St. Louis, hundreds of you attended the community town hall opposing data centers, gave testimony at the city’s utilities committee meeting, spoke out at 2 developer town halls, and sent your testimony to the conditional use hearing ahead of the Armory Data Center’s scheduled approval hearing. Thanks to your pressure, the Armory Data Center developers withdrew their original proposal.
But now, the developers are back with a proposal for– AN EVEN BIGGER DATA CENTER!. The first one was estimated to be 16-20 megawatts in size. This new 3 billion dollar proposal is 120 megawatts and is located on the backside of the Armory. THIS IS A REGION-ALTERING SIZE DATA CENTER.
If approved, the data center won’t even be subjected to regulations. There is only one step left in their approval process, a St. Louis City Conditional Use Hearing. The date for this hasn’t been announced yet but is expected soon. We need to start mobilizing now to send testimony.
Our first action for this is an art build and mini workshop happening Thursday, February 19th from 6:30-7:30 pm at Buder Library Community Room, 4401 Hampton Ave, 63109. Come learn how to get involved and fight back! More steps to be announced.
Fight 2: No More Data Centers in St. Louis! Residents vs. Elites
While we’ve been supporting surrounding counties in their fight to keep massive AI data centers out of Missouri, St. Louis leadership has declined to step up and protect the city from the high power bills, noise and air pollution, AI related job loss, unlimited surveillance, and the excessive water use associated with AI data centers.
Mayor Cara Spencer has asserted that the city is open for business to data centers. Last week Alderman Michael Browning and Alderwoman Alishia Sonnier proposed suspending BOA rules to allow them to make a late submission to pause approvals on new data centers. Seven alders, Michael Browning, Anne Schweitzer, Alisha Sonnier, Daniela Velazquez, Sharon Tyus, Megan Green, and Rasheen Aldridge sided with residents and voted yes.
Eight alders Tom Oldenburg, Shane Cohn, Bret Narayan, Matt Devoti, Jami Cox-Antwi, Shameem Clark Hubbard, Laura Keys, and Pam Boyd voted no- allowing the data centers to continue to be approved in the St. Louis, even before the zoning committee’s proposed regulations go into effect.
We are preparing to go around the BOA and to put power back in the hands of residents to keep AI data centers out of St. Louis. More to come.
Mayor Cara Spencer will be held responsible in history and in the next election for St. Louis being sold off to data centers. Call her at 314-622-3201 and tell her St. Louis residents don’t want AI data centers in St. Louis.
Get involved in the fight back:
Join us Thursday, February 19th from 6:30-7:30 pm for an Art Build and Mini-Workshop at Buder Library Community Room, 4401 Hampton Ave, 63109. Learn about next steps, connect with other residents that are resisting data centers, make art and get organized with the community.
Email ecosocialistgreenparty.emo@gmail.com for questions