TechHow a small Wisconsin city scuttled a secretive $1.6bn data-center project

Residents of Menomonie, Wisconsin, successfully opposed a major data-center campus proposed by Meta. The project was advanced through shell company Balloonist LLC, while city officials signed nondisclosure agreements. Residents questioned its water use, noise and demands on the local power grid, amid growing community resistance to AI projects.

data centersMetacommunity protestartificial intelligence

TThe Guardian★★☆☆☆2026-11-01 17:00Original