A reversal in Saline Township, an approaching Augusta Township referendum and new commitments from six technology companies marked another busy week in Michigan’s data center debate.
Saline Township Removes $4.8 Billion Limit
Saline Township trustees reversed course July 17 and approved Oracle’s industrial facilities tax exemption application based on about $43 billion in proposed investment instead of the $4.8 billion limit adopted three days earlier.
The exemption would cut eligible local property taxes by 50% for up to 12 years, with taxable value determined as buildings and equipment enter service.
Attorney David Landry warned trustees that maintaining the lower limit would likely lead to a lawsuit the township would lose. The board voted unanimously to remove it.
Trustees considered the exemption at the July 8 regular meeting and special meetings July 14 and 17.
Augusta Vote and Recall Deadline Near
Augusta Township voters will decide Aug. 4 whether to uphold the rezoning of 522 acres proposed for a Thor Equities data center.
A yes vote approves the change from agricultural residential to general industrial zoning; a no vote overturns it.
The township board approved the conditional rezoning in July 2025 after the planning commission recommended denial. Residents later gathered enough signatures to place the decision on the ballot.
Washtenaw County Election Commission records show recall petitions against all seven township board members were approved for circulation after the commission found the language sufficiently clear and factual. The commission did not decide whether the claims were true. Under the county’s recall process, organizers need 934 valid signatures for each official. Planet Detroit reported the petitions must be submitted by July 31.
The township board’s July 28 regular meeting agenda includes a second reading of an ordinance allowing temporary zoning moratoriums. It would not pause data center development by itself, but could allow a four- to six-month moratorium while zoning rules are reviewed, with extensions by board resolution.
The planning commission is separately developing permanent regulations for “high resource demand facilities,” including data centers, battery energy storage facilities, substations and switchyards.
Six Companies Sign State Pledge
Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and Verrus have signed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan Affordability and Responsible Growth Pledge.
The companies pledged to cover electric system and infrastructure costs tied to their projects, secure additional energy where needed, protect water resources and prioritize Michigan workers and workforce training.
The pledge is voluntary and does not spell out a separate enforcement process. Some commitments depend on feasibility or existing laws and permitting requirements.
Miller and Stumbo Join Community Discussion
State Rep. Reggie Miller and Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo joined a July 23 forum hosted by the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition and Rural Michigan Defense Fund at Lincoln Community United Methodist Church in Ypsilanti Township.
Miller asked what local governments may be overlooking when weighing land use and energy demands and how boards should respond when attorneys warn that restrictions could bring litigation.
Stumbo said she supports a statewide pause while officials gather more information about potential occupational, environmental and cumulative noise effects. Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, introduced legislation that would impose a one-year moratorium on certain data center approvals and new operations. The proposal has not become law.
Elsewhere in Michigan
Residents in Dowagiac continue to raise concerns about around-the-clock noise from a computing facility transitioning from bitcoin mining to AI and cloud operations. The city has issued noise violation notices, which the company disputes, while a federal class-action lawsuit filed in May alleges the noise has interfered with residents’ use of their homes.
What to Watch Next
Augusta Township’s July 28 regular board meeting, the July 31 deadline for recall signatures and the Aug. 4 rezoning vote are the next major dates to watch.
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