Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently challenged tech billionaires and members of Congress to say whether they would want to live next to an AI data center. She made the comments during a congressional committee session.
Ocasio-Cortez said, “Ask Peter Thiel, ask Elon Musk, ask Mark Zuckerberg if they want one of these data centers in their own backyard.” She then turned the question to her fellow committee members, saying, “Ask any one of us here on this committee. If anyone wants to live right next to one of these data centers here on this committee, please raise your hand.”
She went on to say that basic protections for residents are “not too much to ask,” and argued that working-class constituents deserve answers from their elected officials when they raise concerns.
Michigan farming community becomes site of $16 billion data center dispute
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments come as opposition to data centers grows in communities across the country, including in Saline Township, Michigan. According to Reuters, the township, home to about 2,400 people, is now the site of a $16 billion data center project known as “The Barn.”
The project is being built by a group of developers that includes Oracle, OpenAI, Related Digital, Blackstone and Walbridge, Reuters reported. The Stargate data center is expected to cover roughly 250 acres, according to the report.
Construction is moving forward despite pushback from residents who say they are worried about the project’s effect on Saline’s water supply, power grid and rural character, Reuters reported. Water concerns aren’t limited to Saline, either, as falling water levels across the Great Lakes have drawn scrutiny from residents near several other proposed data center sites in the region. Tammie Bruneau, who has led local opposition, told Reuters, “Most people aren’t interested in some massive development here. They’re interested in protecting the farmland.”
Data centers appear to be one of the few issues that draw opposition from voters across party lines, according to Reuters. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only about a third of Americans approve of the pace of data-center construction, and just 14% of respondents said they would support a data center being built in their own community.
At least 13 data centers are reportedly in various stages of planning across Michigan, according to Reuters. Developers withdrew a proposed project in Washington Township after residents organized against it, and in Augusta, petitioners said they stalled development and forced a public rezoning vote, Reuters reported.
The debate has also become a factor in Michigan’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, scheduled for August 4, according to Reuters. Candidate Haley Stevens has described artificial intelligence as “a revolutionary technology” and has linked data center development to job creation, while also calling on tech companies to pay their water and utility bills, Reuters reported. Stevens did not respond to a Reuters interview request.
Her rival, Abdul El-Sayed, unveiled a policy platform last month that would require AI companies to operate as public-benefit corporations with greater government oversight. He told Reuters that local moratoriums on data center construction might be needed, though he stopped short of calling for a national moratorium, and said safeguards should ultimately come from the federal government.
Ocasio-Cortez has separately raised similar concerns at the federal level, having previously called on Congress to take stronger antitrust action against major tech companies tied to AI infrastructure growth.
In Saline, the township board voted 4-1 in September to deny rezoning for the Stargate project, according to Reuters. Developers and landowners sued the township two days later, and officials reached a consent judgment in October allowing construction to proceed, the report said.
The settlement reportedly included about $14 million in community benefits, such as farmland preservation and fire services, along with restrictions on water use and noise. Opponents have challenged the agreement in court, according to Reuters.
Construction broke ground on June 1, with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in attendance, Reuters reported. Developers say the project will create more than 2,500 union construction jobs, 1,500 countywide jobs, more than 450 permanent jobs and billions of dollars in tax revenue, according to Reuters.
A spokesperson for Related Digital told Reuters in an email that the company is “committed to responsible development,” including “protecting Michigan’s water by using closed-loop, air cooling systems” and preserving “750 acres of farmlands, wetlands and woodlands.” An Oracle spokesperson said in a statement that the company will fund all of the energy and infrastructure needed for the data center, “ensuring no impact on local ratepayer bills or grid reliability,” according to Reuters.
Not everyone in the area opposes the project. Sandy Baruah, president of the Detroit Regional Chamber, told Reuters that critics were missing the bigger picture, saying, “For those of us who are involved in efforts to grow Michigan’s economy, to create more jobs, it is truly puzzling.” Laura Dennison, a Royal Oak resident, told Reuters she sees both sides, noting concerns about agricultural impact while also pointing out that researchers are using AI to better understand her son’s rare medical condition.
Published: Jul 22, 2026 10:00 am