Lewiston city councilors unanimously rejected a controversial plan to build an artificial intelligence data center in the heart of downtown.
The project was proposed for the historic Bates Mill No. 3 building and would've used 85,000 square feet to house servers and “modern office/innovation space for technology companies,” according to the proposal sent to city councilors.
Data centers, including those for cryptocurrency and A.I are expected to spike in demand as more computing power is required for services like ChatGPT.
The plans submitted by the mill building's owner were only public for a week before receiving a wave of opposition on social media.
Residents gathered on the street before filling the council chamber to standing-room-only. City councilors who said they would vote against the project before the public comment period began received applause from the crowd.
"This had the potential for being a great project," Ward 6 Councilor David Chittim said. "It may still have, but not within the time frames and the constraints that have been imposed on it."
Many residents raised concerns over the environmental and economic impact of similar data centers across the country.
"Over the past few days I've talked to as many of my classmates as possible all of which has been against this proposal," said Hunter Bouchard, the sophomore class president at Lewiston High School when addressing the council. "I want to remind you who they are. These are not just high school students; this is the next generation. They are going to be affected by this change 10 and 20 years down the line."
No one from the development team MillCompute LLC gave comment during the meeting Tuesday. While an FAQ on the company's website said the project would not impact water quality or electricity prices, similar data centers have spiked utility rates across the country.
Residents also spoke against the developer's request for a 20-year tax increment finance (TIF) and credit enhancement agreement which would've returned 90% of taxes on the property to the developer for the first 10 years, and 85% for years 11-20.
"If Lewiston city government actually put a focus on supporting new and existing small businesses instead, that would revitalize the city and create the conditions that would make large developments happen without a TIF," said Lewiston resident Luke Jensen.
City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath previously told Maine Public he supported the project and the tax revenue it would bring to the city. After the outcry from residents he said future data center proposals would have to be looked at "very carefully."
"There are many other options for development in these buildings. Making them financially feasible is the biggest challenge," he said. "We'll see what comes forward but we're going to continue working to see what fits best for Lewiston."
