I am writing to urge our community to critically examine the proposed Meta data center in Howell, not just for its environmental impacts, but also in light of the company’s documented human rights record. Approving a project of this magnitude means committing our community and its resources to a corporation with a well-documented history of harmful actions.
The environmental concerns are alarming. Large-scale data centers consume massive amounts of water and energy, putting a significant strain on local resources. Despite assurances from developers, communities nationwide near similar projects have experienced increased utility costs, noise pollution, and potential groundwater issues.
For a community that values its rural character and natural resources, this is an unacceptable risk. We must ask ourselves if the potential economic benefits, which often fall short of promised job creation, outweigh the irreversible environmental costs.
However, our focus cannot be limited to local issues alone. Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) has been repeatedly criticized by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, for its practices. Specifically, reports have found that Meta’s content moderation policies have led to the systemic censorship of pro-Palestinian content, silencing voices and suppressing information related to human rights abuses. This censorship has a tangible, negative impact on Palestinian-Americans and their ability to share their experiences and advocate for their community.
Bringing a company with this record into our township sends a message that we prioritize corporate interests over ethical responsibility and human rights. We should not ignore these systemic failings simply because a project is being built in our backyard. The same disregard for accountability and community well-being Meta has shown on a global scale is likely to be reflected in its local operations.
The Howell Township Board has a responsibility to consider all implications of this project, not just the financial ones. We must hold companies like Meta to a higher standard and demand transparency and respect for both our local environment and fundamental human rights. Let’s make it clear that Howell will not be complicit in a project with such a problematic track record.
Leena Shah
Brighton
Regarding the proposed data center in Howell Township: I am a retired, long-time city planner whose parents, Peter and Norma Popek, lived in the township for more than 30 years. My mother was active as an elected and appointed member of township boards and commissions and my father owned Fowlerville Machine at Grand River and Fleming, one of the properties that would be affected by the data center. His former secretary and her husband lived on Fleming, also an area that would be affected. I know the area well. I would urge the Township Board to do more homework before taking final action. While it’s cheaper for such facilities to locate on farmland, it’s becoming increasingly and rapidly more important to preserve prime farmland, as climate change accelerates and agricultural production in the west and south begins to collapse as soon as 15-25 years. Michigan is well positioned to see its agricultural land become vastly more important, even if we will be growing different crops. I urge the Board to read a new book about climate migration called On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America, by Abrahm Lustgarten. I also urge them to contact the Michigan Association of Planning in Ann Arbor to get a recording of an excellent conference session just held 10/23/2025 called “Demystifying Data Centers for Michigan Communities.” Finally, Contact Saline Township, which just approved a data center, to get a good idea of how to address impacts and help the community. (I disagree with their prohibition on adding solar panels to that site, but they’re looking ahead in other ways that are good.) Since I no longer live in the Township, it’s not for me to say what they should do, but if I did, I’d tell them to find another site, preferably a brownfield site.
If Meta builds a data center, it will surely bring construction jobs (3-5 years was the average build time). After that, it could provide a fixed amount of jobs. How long those jobs will last is hard to calculate. I urge the Howell board to be very careful about those calculations. But AI is a funny thing! It eats its own accomplishments. A sudden closing of the Data Center is quite possible. And a Data Center is not the kind of building you can expect to easily become something useful to the economy. Think of the long vacancy of the Citizens Insurance Company, only way bigger and worse.
I sadly cannot do more than warn the board. It is not Big Tech’s aims to create jobs that last more than 20 years. But the technology being used today is very expensive and overblown. And the first next gen Supercomputers are beginning to become commercially viable. So bless you Howell. This is a difficult decision. It is a gamble.