Living in the Granger/Mishawaka area of St. Joseph County, Indiana, we are facing an imminent threat to our community's health and environment. The proposed development of a Microsoft Data Center in our neighborhood poses serious risks, and understanding and opposing these risks is crucial for preserving the wellbeing of our community.

Data centers are notorious for their immense consumption of natural resources and their detrimental environmental impact. Specifically, they utilize between three to five million gallons of water daily. In areas like ours, where water is a precious resource, such excessive consumption could lead to shortages and negatively impact local water supplies essential for daily consumption, agriculture, and recreation.

WATER USAGE:

These mega data centers use 3-5 million gallons of water a day, and in a proses called dewatering, pump as much as 45 million gallons of water a day out of the ground for years in order to bring the water table down to develop. Closed loop system often sold to the public as a safer alternative are actually worse. Not only do they require millions of gallons of water to operate, they also use toxic chemicals in the water to help cool servers and computer chips, and that toxic water is released into the local water supply. 

Example: The Amazon data center and the General Motors Battery Plant developments in New Carlisle have been granted permission for combined use up to 24 million gallons per day from the Kankakee aquifer.

UTILITY USAGE:

Hyper-scale data centers use as much gas and electricity to power a whole city every day, and annually as much gas and electricity as a entire state. A single 1,000 MW AI data center will use 52% more electricity than all of I&M’s 420,000 residential customers combined used in 2023. 
A hyper-scale data center campus can occupy anywhere from 200 to more than 1,000 acres, with power needs that can surpass 100 megawatts, the equivalent electricity use of 80,000 homes (International Energy Agency, 2025). In 2023, U.S. data centers consumed 176 terawatt-hours (TWh), representing 4.4% of the nation's total electricity. This figure is forecast to reach 426 TWh by 2030, a 133% increase (Congressional Research Service, 2025). This is a significant share for a single industrial sector. 

GAS TURBINES:

All data centers use gas turbines to either power the facility or as backup generators. These gas turbines release toxic emissions at ground level linked to cancer, emphysema, asthma, and miscarriages. 
Diesel generators emit significant amounts of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, all of which are associated with adverse health effects. They also emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Emergency generators can be tested monthly to ensure operation, but because they are expected to run infrequently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not require them to use pollution controls that could lower emissions (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.).

NOISE POLLUTION:

Equipment located at AI data centers, such as servers, HVAC systems, backup generators, fans, and exhaust tubes, can cause noise pollution 24/7, with some data center neighbors measuring noise pollution at 65 decibels into the night. According to the Boston University School of Public Health, "At only 65 decibels—about as loud as a car going by for someone standing on the side of the road - research has shown that people begin experiencing increased risk of hypertension and heart attack."

LIMITED JOBS:

These data centers are sold to local communities on "more jobs" or "economic growth". The evidence shows that these data centers hire out of state non UNION workers threw a company called Wallbridge. Even upon completion data centers only employ between 50-100 people that are out of state remote IT jobs that require a college degree. 

TAX BREAKS:

Data centers are sold to local communities on future tax revenue, but evidence shows that these giant 1% corporations are receiving billion dollar local and state tax breaks to build in Indiana. Along with 35-50 year tax abatements, and no sales tax on building supplies. 

Example: CNBC uncovered through APRA records request that the New Carlisle, Amazon data center development received 4 billion in local tax breaks and an additional 4 billion in state tax breaks, along with no sales tax on building supplies. 

SMR, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors:

There is a very real possibility that future data center developments in Indiana will be powered by small modular nuclear reactors. The use of these SMR's has never happened outside of nuclear submarines, and has a lot of unknowns. Most nuclear reactors and small modular reactors store spent uranium material that is radioactive onsite which poses a lot of environmental dangers and health risks. 

We call upon local authorities and Microsoft to reconsider this project and seek alternative locations that do not threaten local communities. Explore innovative methods or technologies that minimize resource use and reduce emission levels, ensuring a sustainable future both technologically and environmentally. 

This petition aims to unite the voices of those in Granger, Mishawaka, and beyond, who oppose this development. By signing this petition, you stand with us in protecting our community from the potentially devastating impacts of the Microsoft Data Center. Let's prioritize our health and the environment for a better future.

Informational links:

Indiana University |Environmental Resilience Institute, Article on data centers.​

Citizens Action Coalition | Data Centers; Environmental and Health Information​

Documentary on Amazon's, New Carlisle IN. data center.​

Gas turbines used in data centers.​

Citizens Action Coalition | Indiana Data Center Information​

SMR, Small Modular Nuclear Reactor | Information and Dangers

Visit our website: Stop Data in St. Joseph County, IN.