Please stay updated on this petition as it will be rapidly updated with questions, demands and information, and please leave any comments about your concerns, or ideas you'd like me to research and include in this petition.

Castle group is proposing a  150 megawatt data centre  less than a kilometre from fragile Warnervale wetlands and designated wildlife corridors located in Wadalba and surrounding areas.

While limited information is available, we know from their own documentation that:

• It will connect to our Ausgrid power grid and use 150MW, or about enough power to power 30,000 Central Coast homes - this puts unprecedented strain on our power grid, which will largely affect community members.
• Their document mentions job creation however does not outline how many. It has been understood that the average data centre creates many temporary construction contracts, however extremely low permanent positions - estimated between 10 - 30. 
• It is understood that the data center will be cooled with dry air cooling and diesel systems.  While this may potentially be considered more environmentally friendly ( assessment pending ), It creates a higher strain on our electricity grid as well as potentially higher levels of pollution, notably sound pollution.
• It is understood that the data centers are purpose built for the purposes of hosting AI data, which may hold many moral and ethical dilemmas for every day Australians. Do we really want to facilitate more artificial intelligence when it is already so largely unregulated?
• it is uncertain however heavily speculated that the main companies that will buy into this site may include Microsoft, Google, and other off-shore AI megacorps. The benefits of this alleged AI data centre should go to the Australian economy instead of filling the pockets of giant corporations overseas. The companies have not been confirmed.
• The use of power from this data centre among others may increase the 'need' or desire to have more coal-based power plants that are detrimental to pollution and climate  change efforts. While these data centers are supposedly supposed to offset energy usage to the grid by reinvesting elsewhere, they should focus on using renewable resources that do not strain our power grid nor catalyse damage to the environment.
• The environmental impacts have not yet been analysed, but per their own proposal, there are "53 listed threatened species, 14 listed migratory species and 25 listed marine species." While "The Site is not within the area to which the draft Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan applies", many environmental groups are seriously concerned that the regulations around sound, vibration, water, light pollution among others is not sufficient. There is  not enough information already about the impacts on data centers on local ecology. 
• While the proposal outlines its commitment to following NSW guidelines from various authorities, it is questionable whether these authorities have thoroughly researched these guidelines and are adequate in protecting the environment. Not to sound tin-foil hat but I question as to whether these regulations were rushed through in order to streamline business -  I will continue to research on the current legal standards and whether local and larger ecological research groups and institutions accept these regulations as sufficient.
• Calls for a moratorium - a freeze of data centre construction and a deep analysis of the policies, regulations and plans - are increasing as; as aforementioned, environmental and policies regarding power are currently under deep scrutiny from environmental activist groups, as well as political groups such as The Greens.

It is important to note that a significant amount of information is missing here, pending their own reports. This petition is to raise awareness and scrutinize the plans so that we might find a solution that proportionately benefits the  community and provides more than adequate care for the environment.  30 days community consultation is not long enough when this deeply affects thousands of us but is barely even mentioned in media.

This petition is intended to represent the growing concerns from the local population in Wyong and surrounding areas, for the purposes of community consultation and ethical negotiations, before reaching for intervention over our concerns.

If data centers are the future, let's ensure that it serves and deeply enriches the community and not multi-billion dollar off-shore corporations, while everyday Australians and our beautiful, vulnerable wildlife and resources pay the price.

This petition is fluid and will continue to evolve as more information comes to light, and I hope on behalf of all beloved signers that the Castle group comes to the table with the community to discuss these concerns. 

In the coming days I will be reaching out to the Castle group as well as to ecological scientists and leaders in the community to better understand the ecological concerns of this data centre, and to scrutinise existing regulations.

If you have anything you'd like to add, please comment on this post, I will soon have an email to be personally contacted.

TL,DR:

This petition asks the following: 

• prioritisation of economic benefits to the community, including jobs, social investments, and
• Prioritisation of Australian companies
• Above and beyond care for environment that may supercede regulation, pending further research.
• The consideration of a sustainable power source that does not put pressure on the grid, nor to the negative environmental impacts on the use of coal.
• The halting of any plans and heavy consideration on the grounds of substantiated ecological research, including that of which supersedes policy requirements. 
• More - pending further research and consultation.

Thank you so much for signing this petition and please stay tuned - more asks, demands and information coming.

All my love, 

Maddison Carroll