Environmental groups say Michigan lawmakers are missing action on data center rules

Environmental groups spent Tuesday at the Michigan Capitol pressing lawmakers to regulate data centers, saying they're worried about the facilities' effects on water, air and the health of nearby communities.

"The missing ingredient is action — so that's really what we're focused on," said Marta Johnson, a legislative and political organizer with Sierra Club Michigan.

Sierra Club Michigan was joined in Lansing by Clean Water Action, the Michigan Climate Action Network and the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition.

"The overall concern is really that we don't have any regulations right now on these," Johnson said. She said the groups want to protect groundwater and surface water, and to guard against pollution from diesel generators and gas plants, along with noise that she said "can impact human health."

Some state rules already touch the industry. In November 2025, the Michigan Public Service Commission adopted a rate structure requiring data centers in Consumers Energy's territory to sign long-term power contracts and pay for the grid infrastructure needed to serve them, CBS Detroit reported. In July, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked data center companies to sign a 10-point pledge on costs, environmental permits and hiring, and called on the Legislature to write those guardrails into law.

Chris Gilmer-Hill, with the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, said he heard a wide range of opinions on data centers from lawmakers.

"But there's a real and growing consensus that we need something real moving on from what we have now," Gilmer-Hill said. "We're seeing more and more folks at the very top echoing our grassroots call for a moratorium."

Advocates said they're encouraged by support for regulation from both sides of the aisle. Lawmakers from both parties have also teamed up on a bill to repeal Michigan's sales tax breaks for data center equipment.