Residents in a rural area of Washtenaw County will vote next year on a ballot question related to a rezoning for a proposed data center.
Travis Matts is an organizer of the petition drive, called Protect Augusta Charter Township. He says the data center will create noise, environmental damage, and worsen electricity outages near the center.
"A lot of folks out there already have to have backup generators on standby because if the wind blows too hard, their power goes out," Matts said. "If something like this [data center] does pass through, our power grid could fail."
Augusta Charter Township officials approved the rezoning of more than 500 acres earlier this year. Officials did not respond to a request for interviews.
Two other data centers are planned for Washtenaw County - one in Saline Township and one in Ypsilanti township.
