The Oshkosh Common Council is set to vote on July 14 on a 12-month moratorium on new data center construction. The outcome could shape Oshkosh's water supply, land use, and community character for years to come — and residents deserve a say before that decision is made.

Oshkosh has long been known for its clean water. Data centers, however, consume enormous amounts of it — often millions of gallons per day for cooling systems. Before the city opens the door to large-scale data infrastructure, basic questions need answers: How much water will these facilities use? What happens to surrounding land and neighborhoods? Who bears the long-term costs?

Winnebago County has already hit pause. Oshkosh should do the same. The proposed 12-month moratorium is narrowly targeted — it would apply only to buildings whose primary use is data storage, not to businesses that happen to run a server room. That's a reasonable, limited ask that buys the city time to study the real impact and hear from the people who actually live here.

The July 14 vote is coming fast. Once permits are approved, they are not easily reversed. Sign this petition to urge the Oshkosh Common Council — and Council Member Joe Stephenson — to pass the data center moratorium now, before it's too late.