Charlie Berens, others speak at public forum on Wisconsin Rapids data center

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WSAW) - Comedian and journalist Charlie Berens joined environmental and technology experts on Wednesday. They held a community informational event focused on a proposed “hyperscale” data center planned along the Wisconsin River at the old paper mill site in Wisconsin Rapids.

Berens has joined other Wisconsin community forums talking about the impacts of AI data centers.

South Wood County Neighbors for Responsible Development hosted Wednesday night’s event at the Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School auditorium.

Berens and other experts said hyperscale data centers require more resources than traditional ones, including electricity and water.

Organizer Kaitlyn Federwitz said the goal is to bring residents together to learn about and discuss hyperscale data center projects.

Experts said the hyperscale project will impact the communities in the area. They also want communities to have clear answers on these projects before construction begins.

“It’s a very narrow path to developing a more intelligent technology that’s safe for humanity. The AI companies need these hyperscale data centers. But maybe before we decide to give our land and our water and our power, before we completely change the soul of our communities, these tech companies need to show us why we should trust them,” Berens said.

He and others said they want communities to be more involved in the planning process for these projects.

“The Wisconsin River is the lifeblood of Wisconsin,” Federwitz said in a statement. “It connects freshwater resources across our state and supports the people, wildlife, and communities that depend on it. Decisions of this scale should not happen behind closed doors. Our community deserves clear answers before any project moves forward.”

Berens said the size of hyperscale data centers is a drastic difference from normal centers, including the 2.5 million-square-foot data center in Port Washington. He said these projects often come with impacts on people and the environment.

“The question here is how do we guarantee big tech will protect our health and environment and not just pay the fine because it’s cheaper? Yes, these AI data centers can create short-term construction jobs. And yes, they can support some industries. But at what cost?” Berens said.

A hearing will be held on May 4, to discuss a conditional use permit request for the data center project in Wisconsin Rapids.

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