Michigan Republican Primary candidates take on data centers at Cass County Commission meeting

CASSOPOLIS, Mich. -- Michigan Gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson, and Incumbent State Representative Steve Carra took the podium at the Cass County commission meeting, where they aired out their thoughts on data centers.  

Michigan Gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson made his take on data centers very clear from the beginning of the meeting.  

“It’s very important that we understand that these data centers may be destroying our communities,” Johnson said.  

The latest, coming from residents who live near the Hyperscale Data Center in Dowagiac, comparing the sound of the data center, with a vacuum being left on in their house.  

Because of situations like this, Johnson believes a one-year moratorium or suspension of these data centers is crucial.  

“We have to go and study, what are the damages?” Johnson questioned. “Think about going and building all these things. We have 70 data centers here. Man, that is so many. In three of four years, they may be obsolete, and we might not even need these data centers.”  

State representative incumbent, Steve Carra, shared similar thoughts -- referring to them as an ‘existential threat’.  

“When it comes to data centers, people have compelling arguments from the environmental impact to the amount of power that they use," Carra said.  

Challenging Carra in the August 4 primary is Max Coon and Luke Lori.                                                   

Johnson will be taking on Trump-endorsed John James.