Residents urge Leavenworth County to halt proposed hyperscale data center over water, noise and health concerns

Public commenters at a Leavenworth County Board of County Commissioners meeting pressed elected officials to pause consideration of a proposed hyperscale data center, arguing county water supplies and public health could be at risk.

Ed Urban, a Leavenworth County resident, told the board that the project has “two choices for water” and warned that developers would either draw on the Tonganoxie sands aquifer or require “some 30 miles of pipeline.” He said the city of Tonganoxie recently told residents it uses roughly 30% of its available supply and argued the county should not sacrifice local water resources. “There’s not going to be enough water,” Urban said.

Other residents expanded the concerns. Brian Morley said public notification about the legislation supporting data-center incentives (SB 98) was inadequate and alleged extreme local heating from large facilities, saying the cooling operations could produce a heat bubble “15° warmer” in extreme scenarios. D. Charleston cited World Health Organization guidance on tonal noise and warned that 24/7 cooling fans, pumps and backup generators could produce low-frequency noise that affects sleep, livestock and pollinators.

Several speakers asked the board to require independent studies before any approval. Jim Karlskint thanked the board for a 90-day moratorium already in place and urged a longer pause and a set of independent analyses: an environmental impact study, an aquifer and water-sustainability study, a power-grid reliability review, an independent fiscal analysis of long-term public costs, and a noise and public-health assessment. Karlskint said legislators in other counties and at least one state leader are calling for multi-year moratoria because regulatory gaps remain.

Speakers repeatedly referenced state incentives enacted in SB 98 and described a sense that companies are seeking locations with fewer regulatory constraints. When asked whether the group had contacted the Kansas Department of Water Resources, a resident said the agency currently has no dedicated rules for data centers.

The commissioners heard the testimony but did not take immediate action on the proposals raised by public speakers during this segment. The board has already adopted a 90-day moratorium on consideration of the specific project, which several commenters said is insufficient; residents asked for broader studies and additional public meetings, including an evening session so people who work daytime hours can attend.

The board’s next procedural steps on the proposed data center remain to be seen; commissioners encouraged residents to submit written materials for the record.