Republican Mike Rogers backs Michigan data center moratorium

Rogers specified to the Detroit News that he supports a one-year moratorium on data centers in Michigan – a proposal state policymakers would approve – not a national ban.

Key points

• Data centers are additionally defining another major Senate campaign this year – the Ohio contest between Republican Sen.
• The position is a massive shift for the former congressman and separates him from most of the Republican Party and even plenty of Democrats.
• "That is why I am calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers until we establish a fair, transparent approval process that puts local communities first."
• Data centers have become a pivotal matter in numerous midterm campaign as voters grow increasingly weary of the facilities and blame them for electricity costs and other impacts.

"While I don't support a federal ban, Michigan needs stronger guardrails to protect community control, prevent utility price hikes, protect our water and stop pay-to-play schemes, " Rogers informed the News.

Notably, the position is a massive shift for the former congressman and separates him from most of the Republican Party and even plenty of Democrats. Rogers ' campaign did not immediately respond to POLITICO's requests for comment or clarification.

As other progressives have, rogers ' opponent, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, has pressed strict new standards to prevent data center impacts on the electric grid, water and local communities, but has not called for a large-scale moratorium.

Data centers have become a pivotal matter in numerous midterm campaign as voters grow increasingly weary of the facilities and blame them for electricity costs and other impacts. The Data Center Coalition has remarked the facilities alone are not to blame for higher utility rates.

Data centers are additionally defining another major Senate campaign this year – the Ohio contest between Republican Sen. Jon Husted and former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has accused Husted of being too tight with data centers.

For now, republican Mike Rogers backs Michigan data center moratorium remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.