Intergovernmental Relations Committee Advances O’Connor Resolution Urging State Action on Data Center Accountability
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) today unanimously recommended for approval a resolution calling on the Wisconsin State Legislature to adopt the Data Center Accountability Bill (LRB 5432). The resolution, authored by Supervisor Anne O’Connor and co-sponsored by Supervisors Logsdon, Capriolo, Martin, Eckblad, Gómez-Tom, Martinez, Shea, Vincent, Taylor, and Coggs-Jones, aims to establish statewide guardrails that protect Wisconsin residents, natural resources, and local communities amid growing data center development.
“As data centers continue expanding across the country, it’s critical that Wisconsin puts strong transparency, labor, and environmental protections in place,” said Supervisor O’Connor. “This resolution sends a clear message that Milwaukee County supports accountability measures that safeguard our water, energy systems, and workforce.”
The Data Center Accountability Bill (LRB 5432) would:
- Require public transparency regarding water and energy use
- Ensure laborers are paid fair wages
- Establish a “very large customer class” to ensure data centers pay their fair share of utility costs
- Expand renewable energy options
- Support the Focus on Energy program
- Mandate sustainable construction and design standards
Milwaukee County has committed to becoming the healthiest county in Wisconsin and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. O’Connor emphasized that responsible data center regulation is essential to meeting these commitments:
The resolution is expected to be taken up by the full County Board for consideration at their December meeting.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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