Residents of Beaver Dam will gather at the Juneau Community Center on March 10 for a community-led town hall on the local effects of large-scale data center development, featuring Wisconsin comedian and journalist Charlie Berens alongside community leaders, technical experts and residents living near the project site.
The event is being organized by Sarah Zarling, project lead for the statewide Power Wisconsin Forward from the Frontlines initiative, in partnership with the Beaver Dam Education on Data Center group. Founded by local midwife Joey Larson, the grassroots organization has worked since October to raise awareness about the data center project by hosting community events.
The town hall comes as Beaver Dam residents seek greater transparency following approval and construction of a Meta A.I. data center. A second proposed data center is expected to come before the Beaver Dam Common Council for consideration later this month.
Speakers will discuss potential impacts related to electricity demand, water use, land use and long-term community costs.
Featured speakers include:
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Charlie Berens, comedian and creator of The Manitowoc Minute;
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Tom Content, executive director, Citizens Utility Board;
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Michael Greif, Midwest Environmental Advocates;
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Prescott Balch, retired technology executive;
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Maily Kocinski, Beaver Dam resident living near the construction site;
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Emily Luy Tan, Beaver Dam native lives near the construction site;
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Brit Bumpus, former Meta employee and Beaver Dam resident;
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Dr. Brittany Keyes, PT, clean air policy manager, Healthy Climate Wisconsin; and
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Angela Davis, local resident and wildlife professional whose family lives adjacent to the site.
“When large infrastructure projects move faster than public understanding, communities deserve the opportunity to ask questions and participate in the decisions that affect them,” Sarah Zarling, project lead for the initiative, said in a statement.
