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Howell Township to hold hearing on data center project

A proposed data center in Howell Township would occupy more than 1,000 acres of land and become the biggest taxpayer in Livingston County.
Howell Township Planning Commission
A proposed data center in Howell Township would occupy more than 1,000 acres of land and become the biggest taxpayer in Livingston County.

Howell Township will hold a public hearing Tuesday on plans for a new data processing facility.

The data center would comprise more than 1,000 acres of land and would make an unnamed Fortune 100 company the largest taxpayer in Livingston County.

Data centers house the servers necessary to process, store and secure large amounts of electronic data.

Letters of support say the project would provide millions of dollars in new tax revenue for local schools, roads and first responders.

But some residents say they have concerns about the impact on the local environment, nearby property values and the reliability of energy and water.

The developers say they would prioritize water efficiency, including by capturing rainwater on-site and recycling water through colling systems before discharge.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at 3525 Byron Road.

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