Cass County Passes Resolution Demanding Transparency From Data Center Developers Before Approvals | The Kalamazoo Press
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Cass County Passes Resolution Demanding Transparency From Data Center Developers Before Approvals
Cass County commissioners pass resolution demanding transparency from municipalities on data center proposals, including disclosure on electricity, water usage, and financial liability
Cass County Leads Push for Data Center Transparency Across West Michigan
CASS COUNTY, Mich. — Cass County commissioners have taken a new approach to the growing data center development boom in West Michigan, passing a resolution that demands transparency from local municipalities before approving any projects.
The resolution calls for clear disclosure on electricity sources, daily water usage, and plans for what happens if a data center project fails. Commissioners unanimously passed the measure Monday, sending the document to each municipality in Cass County.
"We're not against data centers and we're not pro-data centers," Cass County Commission Chair Jeremiah Jones said. "We just want transparency and what's best for the community."
Dowagiac Hyperscale Expansion at Center of Debate
The resolution came amid growing concerns about Hyperscale Data's plans to expand its existing data center in Dowagiac. The Las Vegas-based company operates a 30-megawatt facility inside the Business Center of Southwest Michigan and has announced plans to build it out to 340 megawatts.
According to federal statistics, that energy capacity is enough to power more than 100,000 homes. Hyperscale also recently announced an agreement to purchase 48.5 acres of additional land in southwest Michigan, which would more than double its existing footprint in the state.
The company currently operates a data center at 415 E. Prairie Ronde St. in Dowagiac on a 34.5-acre site. The press release did not specify the location of the new acquisition or disclose any details about expansion plans.
On April 1, Dowagiac Mayor Patrick M. Bakeman sent an open letter to Hyperscale Data CEO Will Horne, giving the company 45 days to submit formal plans to the city.
"No proposal has been submitted and no decisions have been made," Bakeman wrote. "It is your responsibility to bring forward a clear and transparent plan."
Dowagiac City Manager Kevin Anderson confirmed with ABC57 that the city has received no contact from Hyperscale since the letter was released. Anderson said the city has spent the last several months tightening ordinances to ensure they can handle a larger data center should an expansion occur.
Pokagon Band Joins Call for Information
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana, whose government campus is located in Dowagiac within what the tribe calls its ancestral homelands, has added a voice to the matter.
Tribal Council Chairman Matthew Wesaw said he learned of the data center's campus expansion through concerned tribal citizens living in the city.
"Data centers, as you know, in different places have raised different responses," Wesaw said. "The citizens here were fearful of the size of the expansion, the additional energy costs, water usage, noise, those types of things, brought that to one of our community meetings, and we were not in a position to respond because we had no information."
The tribe has more than 500 citizens living in Dowagiac and contributes significant infrastructure funding to the city. Wesaw explained that the tribe's position is not outright opposition to data centers, but a demand for the same transparency the mayor has requested.
"I think what's crucial as leaders, be it the mayor or myself as the tribal chairman, you know, in taking care of your government, your people, you need the most, the best information you can have, all the information you could get to make the best decisions," Wesaw said.
Wesaw noted that data centers that use open cooling systems can pull hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from local aquifers daily. When that water is returned to the source in a heated state, it can devastate the surrounding aquatic ecosystem.
The tribe released its statement of support on April 13.
"We cannot take more than what we need, no matter what it is, and we always give something back. So, water is the source of all life. Without water, we're not living. So, we pay a lot of attention to water usage," Wesaw said during a one-on-one interview.
Marshall Data Center Proposal Also Under Scrutiny
The transparency push is not limited to Cass County. In Marshall, Calhoun County, a separate proposal has been building since last fall.
Toronto-based Alterra Development entered into a purchase agreement with the City of Marshall in October 2025 for 270 acres inside the Brooks Industrial Park, approximately half of which is wetlands.
The company plans to build a data center and a gas generation plant near Stuart Lake and the Brooks Nature Area. The project, if fully built out, could require up to 1,400 megawatts of power.
To power it, Alterra has proposed installing a natural gas-fired turbine system capable of generating around 1,000 megawatts, and importing up to 400 megawatts from the grid at peak use.
On Thursday, residents organized an information meeting in Marshall to share concerns and discuss next steps. Marshall Mayor Scott Wolfersberger said he expects the developer to take advantage of at least one of their 90 day extension opportunities to complete their due diligence.
Among the specific concerns raised at the meeting included noise from turbines and cooling systems, exhaust and hydrocarbon emissions, the impact on Stuart Lake and a city-owned nature preserve adjacent to the proposed site, and the feasibility of wetland mitigation.
County Resolution Targets Municipal Decision-Making
The Cass County resolution is designed to protect local communities without interfering with municipal autonomy. While each city has to make its own decisions, Jones said he wants to preemptively protect his citizens.
"We don't need your business dealings. We don't need that," he said of the commission. "But whatever affects our residents, we'd like to know."
The resolution from Cass County Commissioners calls for public disclosures on how electricity will meet clean energy goals, daily water usage, and a plan for how residents won't be stuck with the bill if a project fails.
The document does not address the Hyperscale project specifically, and Jones said the commission won't interfere with it in any way. The resolution is now in the hands of each Cass County municipality.
"We have zero power, because that is, we've prided ourselves on giving local power to the townships and to the individual cities or villages," Jones said.
Residents Express Growing Concern
Local business owners in Dowagiac express mixed feelings about the expansion. Several didn't even know it was happening. One local business told News Channel 3 they're worried about higher bills, while another felt it would be a relatively small impact for the community.
"They really need to listen to residents," Angie Roberts said. "Because, I would say at least 90% are against what's going on."
News Channel 3 has reached out to Hyperscale Data Inc. multiple times and was asked to leave contact information so the appropriate company representative could follow up. As of this report, no response has been received.
The company has not responded to inquiries about the expansion timeline or the status of feasibility studies.
What Comes Next
The Cass County resolution represents a new level of oversight for data center development in West Michigan. As municipalities across the region grapple with these massive proposals, the demand for transparency is growing.
Anyone with information about data center proposals in West Michigan is encouraged to contact reporter Abigail Taylor at attaylor@sbgtv.com.
data centerCass CountyDowagiacHyperscale DatatransparencyPokagon Band
