Cassville Residents Unanimously Ban Data Centers to Protect Landscape

Residents of the town of Cassville, Wisconsin, voted unanimously to prohibit the construction of data centers within the municipality. In a vote of 44 to 0, the community blocked a billion-dollar proposal from an anonymous developer to protect the pastoral landscape of the Driftless area.

Town of Cassville officials enacted an ordinance that bans data centers for up to two years and restricts land use changes without board approval. The decision came despite the developer's offer of 50 jobs and more than $5.5 million in annual property tax revenue. Residents cited concerns that the facility would contaminate wells, increase electric bills, and lower property values.

The proposed site was considered attractive due to its proximity to the high-voltage Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line. While the developer is now considering alternative sites in Indiana and North Dakota, local officials expressed a mix of relief and frustration over the lack of transparency surrounding the project's details.