By Michael Williams
In recent months, a proposed data center in our city of Inver Grove Heights has ignited strong reactions across neighborhoods. The plan is for a 5-megawatt facility on Carmen Avenue East—a lot formerly housing a business called Travel Tags. While modest compared to large industrial data centers, this project is now at the heart of heated conversations around environmental impacts, local planning, and resident power.
What’s happening
The City Council adopted a one-year moratorium on the construction or expansion of data centers. That includes the proposed center at Carmen Avenue East. The goal is to buy time: to study the potential effects and put safeguards in place, if needed. These include evaluating water and power use, noise, air quality, and how well the project aligns with our values as a community. Many residents also signed a petition demanding an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), a state-level review that could further inform decisions.
Why it’s more than just a building
On its face, a data center is just infrastructure. But the concerns raised are real. Families nearby worry about noise pollution from backup generators, the drain on electricity and water resources, and whether local roads and services are equipped for additional demand. Also involved is the question of who benefits from such developments and who bears the costs. Community transparency and dialogue are central to fair decision-making.
What we can do—together
If you care about how our city grows, there are clear ways to get involved:
- Attend City Council meetings or watch them online. Public comments are part of the process.
- Sign or help circulate petitions like the EAW petition, which bring community concerns to decision-makers.
- Use resources like city planning documents or public surveys. Stay informed about what’s proposed and what rights we have as residents.
- Engage neighbors, share information, hold conversations. Our collective voice becomes stronger when many speak up.
What residents deserve
Above all, residents deserve transparency. We deserve planning that balances growth with environmental sustainability. We deserve decision-making that listens to families, renters, and long-time homeowners alike. Inver Grove Heights is not a blank canvas for development; it is our home.
This moment with the data center proposal is less about yes or no, and more about how we choose to care for the place we share. What kind of community we want to be. And whether our leaders hear us.