Opposition and disappointment of lack of public engagement

As a Sturgeon County resident, I feel there has not been proper engagement with the community regarding this proposal or adequate advertisement of the project within the surrounding area. Being close to the industrial Heartland, we are used to large scale industrial projects within our community. For projects of this scale and significance, residents should have been much more clearly informed about open houses, information sessions, and opportunities to provide feedback. Many major developments make a significant effort to ensure nearby residents are aware of consultations and understand the potential impacts before decisions move forward.

I am especially concerned about the proposed location being so close to a town with many families, children, and schools. While AI technology and data infrastructure are becoming increasingly important, placing large AI data centers a natural gas power plants near established and growing residential communities raises legitimate concerns.

There are known and studied negative impacts related to air quality, noise and light pollution, water source depletion, and local economic consequences to residence in the form of sky high utilities, and declining property values. AI infrastructure on this scale is still relatively new, and we do not yet know the long-term health, environmental, or community impacts of having these types of facilities operating close to urban populations for decades to come.

I want to be clear that I am not against development, technology, innovation, or AI. These industries are important and will continue to grow. However, location matters. Facilities of this scale and industrial nature are better suited to areas with sparse populations and greater separation from towns, schools, and residential growth areas.

The community deserves stronger engagement, greater transparency, and more consideration regarding the suitability of this location before the project proceeds