Pop quiz: Can your town stop a massive data center from moving in?

Since I started out with that question, you’ve probably already figured out that in many cases, the answer is no.

The truth is, Michigan law limits how much power local governments have to block these projects, leaving many communities scrambling to respond as these proposals spread across the state.

Today, The ’Gander’s Kyle Kaminski breaks down why local officials often can’t simply say “no,” and the possible paths Michigan can take when it comes to our future with data centers.

Michigan Dems reintroduce 9 bills vetoed by Whitmer (The Detroit News): Michigan Democrats have reintroduced nine bills Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed earlier this month, including measures affecting pensions, debt collection, and museum funding. The proposals face steep opposition and an uncertain path forward in the Republican-led House.

About 11% of Michiganders have voted early (Freep): More than 832,000 Michiganders have already cast ballots ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, with absentee voting far outpacing the 2022 primary and early in-person voting also seeing a big boost since the last election. Early voting continues through Aug. 2, with Election Day set for Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Money Out of Politics petition reaches required signatures (Michigan Advance): A ballot initiative that would ban utilities and government contractors from making campaign contributions cleared a key hurdle after Michigan election officials determined it had enough valid signatures to advance. The Board of State Canvassers must still decide whether the petition language for Money Out of Politics meets legal standards before it can move forward.

(The ‘Gander TikTok)

Wherever you are in Michigan right now, there’s something you should probably know about your local government. They can’t really stop what’s coming. They can try, but your city council or your board of township trustees cannot ban a data center. Doesn’t matter how many neighbors pack the meeting. It doesn’t matter how your board votes. Under state law, your local government is simply not allowed to say no.

Here’s the deal: It’s called the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. It says local zoning can’t have the effect of totally prohibiting a land use when there’s a demonstrated need for it, data centers included.

So, what can your city or township do? Well, they decide where data centers go. They set standards—noise, light, water, setbacks, and they can choose to hit pause. That’s what a moratorium is. Think of it like more of a time-out than an outright ban. Usually six months to a year to write rules before these proposals arrive. More than 50 Michigan communities have already done it. They cover about 1,500 square miles, roughly the size of Rhode Island. Sometimes that’s enough. Howell Township passed a moratorium, and a $1 billion project withdrew.

When communities organize, developers walk away. That’s real. But when the money gets big enough, there are other doors that can be opened. Door one: Saline Township voted down the rezoning for the Stargate project. The developer sued, claiming the township was illegally excluding a legal land use. They settled, and it’s under construction now. Door two: Last month, a township near Mason voted no on a data center. The next day, the developer moved to annex the land into the neighboring city, putting the decision in front of an appointed three-person board in Lansing instead. Door three: Lyon Township passed a moratorium too late. It doesn’t touch the 1.8 million-square-foot data center campus that’s already been approved.

And here’s the kicker: the biggest decisions were never local anyway. Electricity is regulated by the state. Last year, the Public Service Commission fast-tracked DTE Energy’s deal to feed Stargate 1.4 gigawatts with no contested hearing, and over the attorney general’s objections.

So what? Well, a pause is just a pause. When yours runs out, two things decide what happens next. One, whether your township used the time to write real rules, and whether it could afford to. Some rural townships simply don’t have the resources to dedicate to that kind of legal review. Two, whether Lansing changes the rules, because “you can’t ban a data center” isn’t exactly a law of physics. It’s just the law. Lawmakers wrote it in 2006. They can rewrite it again any time. There are also state bills sitting in committees right now to cap water use, ban officials from signing NDAs, and repeal the tax break that lured these projects here in the first place. None have moved, partly because Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she’ll veto them. But that threat leaves office when she does. And there’s an election in November. So ask your state lawmakers where they stand. Ask everyone on your ballot, because the rules we’re stuck with right now aren’t written in stone.

Check out the full story in this edition of so what? Michigan.

Theresa Brooks, MD, left, and Rebecca Amidon, candidates for Michigan state Senate districts 9 and 32. (Candidate photos courtesy of respective campaigns)

Michiganders’ mailboxes and televisions are stuffed to the brim with political campaign ads, which can only mean one thing: Primary season is coming.

This year’s primary election is on August 4. Before a primary, several hopefuls campaign to be their respective party’s official candidate. The primary narrows those options down to one candidate per party ahead of  the general election in November, and two Michigan moms are hoping to turn their lived experiences into public policy.

In southeast Michigan, Dr. Theresa Brooks is a mother of three who says her time caring for patients and raising a family fuels her fight to protect healthcare. Meanwhile, in West Michigan, working-class mom Rebecca Amidon says firsthand struggles with raising children and making ends meet inspired her campaign to expand affordable childcare and support working families.

Both candidates have earned the backing of Vote Mama, a national organization that supports Democratic mothers running for office because of the unique perspective they bring to policymaking.

The ’Gander’s Jonny Lupsha has more.

By Abby Deatrick

With Michigan’s Aug. 4 primary election approaching, campaigns and advocacy organizations are making their final push to reach voters and are looking for volunteers to help. Whether you want to protect the voting process as a poll challenger, mobilize voters with One Team Michigan or Equality Michigan, or support Abdul El-Sayed or Haley Stevens for US Senate, there are opportunities to take action through Election Day.

Here’s a roundup of upcoming events and actions in Michigan.

📣 Have an event to add? Email Abigail Deatrick, The ’Gander’s state organizing coordinator, with details. Please send submissions at least one week before the event.

📬 Was this forwarded to you? Sign up to get This Week in Michigan Politics in your inbox every week.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Kyle Kaminski, Jonny Lupsha, and Abby Deatrick. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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