Marshall Residents Demand Transparency as Data Center Proposal Moves Forward in Brooks Industrial Park

Community Pushback Mounts Against Alterra Development Proposal

*MARSHALL, Mich.* — A development meeting in Marshall that had no business discussing a data center proposal drew an unexpectedly large crowd of residents who demanded more transparency and communication from city leaders about the project.

The packed room forced board officials to scramble for additional seating, as at least 30 residents gathered to voice their concerns about a proposed data center and gas generation plant planned for the Brooks Industrial Park.

"It's our biggest meeting ever, I can just tell you that," Board Chair Mike Beck said at the start of the meeting.

Purchase Agreement Signed Without Community Notice

The tension stems from a unanimous vote October 30 by the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) to enter into a purchase agreement with Alterra Development for 270 acres of land at $1.12 million, which includes 112 buildable acres.

"We just feel a little blindsided," one speaker said.

"I'm sure if we had some notice, we'd probably be packed out the door," another resident added.

The atmosphere grew heated at several points, with the board using a gavel to restore order amid chants of, "We don't want it!"

Due Diligence Process Still Underway

According to board officials, while the LDFA did enter into a purchase agreement, that only allows them to begin "a very lengthy due diligence process" to analyze the feasibility for a data center on the property, including wetland mitigation studies.

Beck explained that the process is lengthy, lasting up to a year. He said that if the developer feels that "some semblance of a project is feasible," they will still have to go through a "very" public site and project plan review, as well as "various agencies to be able to make that project come to fruition."

Despite assurances from city leaders that the project is still in its early stages and nothing is finalized, residents are demanding more transparency and dialogue.

Economic Promises Meet Environmental Concerns

Alterra Development estimates the project would bring 300 to 500 skilled jobs to the area, and would generate several million dollars in annual tax revenue.

The proposed site includes the Brooks Wetland, a point of contention for conservation-minded residents who also questioned the long-term economic promises often associated with data centers.

Some argued the facilities offer few permanent jobs once construction concludes and expressed fears that local utility rates could spike to support the high energy demands of the plant.

Company Response to Concerns

Alterra founder James Jarvis said his company will use wetland mitigation and land consolidation to create developable property.

"Our approach will be one that honors and keeps the integrity of what Brooks Industrial Park and Brooks Nature Park represented initially," Jarvis said at the October 30 meeting.

Marshall City Manager Derek Perry confirmed to local news outlets that Alterra Development is now undergoing due diligence studies on the proposal inside the Brooks Industrial Park.

Environmental Protections Planned

Addressing environmental concerns, the facility will use a closed-loop liquid cooling system to conserve water and employ wetland mitigation and land consolidation to protect the Brooks Nature Area.

The project is currently in a due diligence phase, including environmental reviews by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.

Construction is planned to begin after these studies are finalized.

Statewide Data Center Debate

The resistance in Marshall mirrors a growing statewide movement. Protesters recently gathered at the Michigan Capitol to decry data center projects, and many Marshall residents compared the current situation to the controversial Ford BlueOval Battery Park development, where they felt similarly ignored.

What's Next

The Marshall Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on April 1, 2026, to consider a proposed six-month moratorium on data center development projects.

The hearing will take place at 7 p.m. in Room 105 of the Huron County District Court.

More information on the energy storage projects approved by the state can be found at www.michigan.gov/som/minewswire.

Community Voices

Local farmer and volunteer firefighter Jordan Sieman expressed concerns about fires at data centers or battery storage facilities in the area.

He said these fires are difficult to put out and require a special chemical that most local fire departments — especially volunteer departments — do not have in sufficient supply.

Megan Mellas, a fellow Marshall native who returned to the area to raise her family in the same rural community where she grew up, added to Sieman's point.

"You have to be considerate of the soil health, drainage systems and land structure that can be permanently altered for decades after industrial use," Mellas said.