Midwest Environmental Advocates legal fellow Michael Greif has spent plenty of time along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, and he would rather not see the scenery around it change without the proper notification. Greif will sound the alarm Friday at Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay when he presents “Protecting Public Rights in Age of Privatization,” which will take a look at the looming threat of data center construction.

The presentation, hosted by the Door County Environmental Council, comes as AI data centers become a major talking point in political races around the state and after a Marquette Law School poll showed 73% of Wisconsinites believe the costs outweigh the benefits. Proponents of data center construction point to increases in local tax revenue and construction jobs, while opponents say the facilities are bad for the environment and consumers’ pocketbooks. Greif says it is important for communities to get all the facts before AI data centers are built in their backyards.

Greif’s presentation Friday begins at 7 p.m. If you cannot attend the presentation in person, the Door County Environmental Council will make it available remotely via Zoom at this link.