Southwest Missouri Citizens Against Data Centers opposes large-scale AI data center and solar park projects

Southwest Missouri Citizens Against Data Centers is a rapidly growing grassroots coalition formed to oppose large-scale AI data center and solar park projects in the rural areas around Jasper and Webster counties.

A town hall meeting held Thursday night (05/28) at the Gene Taylor Community Building in Sarcoxie – on a proposed data center was organized by the group.

Citizens at the "Protect Sarcoxie; Protect Our Future" meeting had a plethora of questions and concerns about a data center – which includes a solar energy park that the Minnesota-based technology firm Geronimo Power wants to put on land located between Sarcoxie and LaRussell.

Southwest Missouri Citizens Against Data is demanding local transparency, environmental studies, and accountability from elected officials.

The local group formed their own special interest group after feeling left out of the dialogue over Data Centers.

One participant expressed concerns about cancer, strokes, and other illnesses and the overall effect of the data centers on people with outstanding illnesses, the elderly and children.

Speakers included Rhys Hine, April Jones, Kelly Hunter Foster, Ryan Hagedorn and James Gordon of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC).

The group has plans to work with county commissioners on the concerns.

Local Projects & Concerns

• Sarcoxie/La Russell Project: Residents are mobilizing against a proposed data center and solar park by Geronimo Power slated for acreage between Sarcoxie and La Russell.

• Webster County Project: Opposition is also mounting against a data center proposed by Lumon Solutions on Rifle Range Road near Marshfield.

• Primary Objections: The group cites concerns over rising utility bills, massive water usage threatening local well tables, potential water and noise pollution, and potential long-term health hazards

• Town Halls: The coalition hosts heavily attended public forums to educate rural communities and give them a voice after being frustrated by limited input at official developer and government meetings.

• Statewide Backlash: The SWMO chapter is part of a much larger statewide uprising. Communities across Missouri (such as Festus, Peculiar, and St. Charles) are pushing back over tech development agreements, resulting in city council recalls and zoning moratoriums

• Next Steps: Organizers are actively working with county commissioners and lawmakers to push for temporary moratoriums on development to conduct certified environmental impact studies

Geronimo Power says that energy availability can be a sticking point in the development of new data centers.

Geronimo Power, according to the firm's web page, is addressing this barrier by co-locating power projects with new data centers, called powered data parks.

The company identifies land suitable for data center development, then works through the necessary rezoning and environmental permitting processes to prepare the site.

Geronimo Power then develops and builds the dedicated power projects that will power the data center. Once the data center land is prepared and the power projects are underway, the powered data park is ready for acquisition by a data center operator.