Data centers in the Midwest spur debate, massive projects

Kelton Silver (front) and Shannon Johnson, both residents of Henry County, listen in during a Henry County planning commission meeting Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in New Castle, Ind. Board members recommended approval for a planned unit development near the intersection of Interstate 70 and State Road 109 in Henry County. The area will potentially house a data center.

Data center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Nov. 12, 2025.

A number of people at the Nov. 10, 2025, Sangamon County Board meeting hold signs in opposition of a proposed data center in Talkington Township.

A new data center is in the works for 321 acres on a 1,000-acre plot owned by the City of Pekin between Sheridan Road and Route 98 in Pekin.

Attorney Joe Calderon, representing Google, shows photos as he speaks during the Metropolitan Development Commission meeting Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 at the City-County Building. A Google data center in Franklin Township is up for a key vote before the commission. Franklin Township residents have garnered more than 4500 signatures, against the center, on a petition. The commission approved the petition.

Construction work takes place on a portion of land between Walnut and Larrison Road and north of Early Road on an $11 billion Amazon Web Services data center campus on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, between New Carlisle and South Bend.

Kim Saylor, of Indianapolis, holds a sign in opposition of a Google data center Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, before an Indianapolis City-County Council meeting in Indianapolis. Google withdrew its zoning petition for the center on the southeast side of Indianapolis during the meeting.

Farmer Kevin Pelko harvests soybeans from his property in Franklin Township on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Indianapolis.

Members of the St. Joseph County Council listen to presentations and discussion about a proposed data center near New Carlisle that took place Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Construction work takes place on a portion of land between Walnut and Larrison Road and north of Early Road on an $11 billion Amazon Web Services data center campus on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, between New Carlisle and South Bend.

Franklin Township resident Ryan Ray, right, speaks out after the Metropolitan Development Commission voted to approve the petition for the Google Data Center in Franklin Township, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Other residents, including Sarah Fredericksen and Spencer Andrews, stand by.

Randy Kemerly (top) builds a greenhouse with the help of his son Elijah Kemerly (bottom) on their family farm, Hidden Acres Fruit Farm, on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Wilkinson, Ind. "Data centers really are not an economic viable solution to growing our economy around here," Randy Kemerly said. "We're an agricultural community."

A “No Data Center” sign sits near the farm owned by Kevin Pelko in Franklin Township on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Indianapolis.