A six-month pause on a growing national problem

Cascade Township has temporarily banned consideration of data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities. The township board voted unanimously Wednesday to impose a six-month moratorium, giving officials time to study the potential impact on local water and infrastructure before making any long-term decisions.

The vote came as residents raised urgent concerns about their drinking water. Many neighbors in Cascade Township are already dealing with PFAS contamination in their water supply. PFAS, known as forever chemicals, are linked to certain types of cancer after long-term exposure.

Residents say clean water must come first

Tom Gottlick, a Cascade Township resident whose water contains PFAS, told reporters he worries the township cannot handle additional infrastructure demands.

"Clean drinking water for the people that are living here now, that needs to be the priority, that just absolutely needs to be the priority," Gottlick said.

When asked whether Cascade could support a data center, Gottlick was direct.

"No, because if they can't handle the infrastructure lack thereof right now, there is no way that Cascade could handle a data center."

Gottlick urged township leaders to focus on existing problems before welcoming new industrial development.

"Take care of the people here first before you start bringing in something that could have a detriment to the community," he said.

Township calls the move proactive

Grace Lesperance, Cascade Township Supervisor, said the moratorium was not a response to any specific proposal. She noted that no data center developers have approached the township.

"I think it would be premature at this time to form an opinion about yes or no, but certainly there are some major concerns, and we want to make sure that whatever we do decide is based on a lot of information, and that it doesn't affect residents negatively," Lesperance said.

Lesperance added that she personally remains "very hesitant towards allowing any data centers in Cascade Township right now."

The moratorium covers:

• Data centers
• Cryptocurrency mining facilities
• Similar emerging land uses

The six-month pause can be extended for up to one additional year if township leaders need more time.

What happens next

Township staff are already working with legal counsel to draft a long-term ordinance addressing data center regulations. The final rules could allow, restrict, or permanently ban such facilities in Cascade Township.

Lesperance acknowledged that the township has limited power over the PFAS contamination crisis. The issue is regulated and funded at the state level, leaving local officials with few tools to address it.

"I agree with the mentality of, we don't need to welcome a whole new problem that we don't even know the effects of before we've got enough on our plate with clean water in Cascade Township," Lesperance said.

The moratorium reflects a broader national trend. Communities across Michigan and the country are grappling with the rapid expansion of data centers, which can consume massive amounts of water for cooling systems and strain local infrastructure.

This story was reported by Margaret Holloway for Grand Rapids Press Wire. Source: FOX 17 Online.