It can feel like the biggest moment in a data center fight happens in court. But by the time a project gets there, a lot has already been decided in local hearings, planning meetings, and city council rooms.
Those early meetings matter more than they might seem. They are where communities can document the facts, name the risks, and preserve arguments that may matter later.
That’s because often, a judge is looking back at the official record: what evidence was submitted, and whether residents documented key issues before local decisions were made.
The challenge is that most of us have never been trained for that. And finding an attorney who understands municipal law can be surprisingly hard.
If you’re preparing for a local hearing, trying to understand how to build the record, looking for a lawyer, or if you are a municipal lawyer, reach out. Reply to this email, or leave a comment on Marty’s post in the network.
Tell us what you need. Your story helps us figure out what kind of support would make a difference.
Now, here’s what we’re tracking this week.
In this newsletter
This bi-weekly newsletter is a new project from Halt the Harm Network. For more regular updates and meetups on data center organizing, request access to the Stop Bad Data Centers group inside the HHN community space.
What We’re Following
Ohio EPA withdraws plan to let data centers dump wastewater into lakes and streams
The Ohio EPA has abandoned a proposed general permit that would have allowed data centers without sewer access to discharge wastewater into lakes, rivers, and streams. Critics of the proposed permit argued that the “one-size-fits-all” approach prioritized industry over public health and the environment. The Alliance for the Great Lakes warned it could threaten drinking water and the already-stressed Lake Erie watershed. The EPA will now evaluate permits on a case-by-case basis.
New resource: What to test on your property before industrial development arrives
Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania has published a practical guide for residents to establish baseline environmental conditions on their property before major industrial or infrastructure development begins. The guide covers monitoring areas like water and air quality, helping communities document what “normal” looks like, so if conditions change after a data center or other facility moves in, residents have evidence to point to.
Frack Tracker Monthly Snapshot
Thanks to Mia Glover at Frack Tracker for keeping the Snapshots going. The July update is up in the network now. Here are the highlights:
- 70 newly added facilities
- 58 significant updates to existing projects
- Data center project in Hernando, FL cancelled
Check out the snapshot here, or explore the US Data Centers Tracker Map here.
Event Recap
All event replays can be found in the Recordings Space in the HHN Network.
Oil & Gas Wells Near Schools: Documenting Data and the Health Risks
Liveable Arlington recently released a new analysis mapping oil and gas wells near schools in Arlington, Texas. They found that tens of thousands of Arlington public school students attend campuses within close proximity to active oil and gas operations.
Their recent webinar walked through the data and discussed how they used an interactive custom map from FracTracker Alliance to show the distance between drilling sites and schools across the community.
This isn’t just a Texas story. It’s a model for any community that wants to use data to illustrate the harms of fracking, particularly on children.
Behind the Toxic Chemical Recycling Curtain
Hazardous chemicals stored on site at “chemical recycling” plants and other types of industrial facilities put workers and communities at risk.
For this webinar, we were joined by Eve Gartner, Director of Cross-Cutting Toxics Strategies at Earthjustice, who discussed the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) and making public records requests for facilities in your community.
We were also joined by Shanon Goff, who walked us through the new NRDC brief, “Chemical Recycling” is a Toxic Trap.
Watch the replay and get the slides here.
How Regulators Could Protect Residents from Radioactive Leachate in Landfills (but are they?)
Landfills across Pennsylvania take in radioactive fracking waste, and it’s not just in Pennsylvania either. The leachate produced at these landfills is harmful and raises important questions for communities bearing the risks.
How can regulators protect communities instead of buckling to the pressure from industry? For this webinar, speakers presented on the science, health, and resources we need to protect communities from the harms of fracking waste.
Closing Comment
People are building the tools, maps, guides, and strategies we need. The work now is to make sure those resources get into the hands of communities early enough to make a difference.
If you’re facing a data center proposal in your area, or you know someone who’s just getting started, tell us what you need and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
