Wisconsin Mom Leads Victory Against AI Data Center, Halting Construction Plans

Jayne Black, a 64-year-old environmentalist and mother of four from Wisconsin, has spent years advocating for environmental justice. But when a proposed AI data center threatened her community, she turned her fight into a decisive victory.

Black’s activism began after two of her children were diagnosed with asthma and multiple sclerosis, conditions linked to environmental factors. When she learned about a data center proposal on land 12 miles from her home, she knew she had to act.

“When you speak about wanting changes for cleaner air, and you have a child who’s impacted, it hits differently,” Black told People. “It’s gut-wrenching, and knowing too that these data centers primarily are using fossil fuels. It’s really disappointing and it’s scary.”

Black launched a Facebook group, “Stop the Northeast Wisconsin Data Centers,” to raise awareness about the environmental costs of such facilities. The group gained over 2,000 members in just two days and has since grown to nearly 3,700.

She strategically framed the issue around preserving the area’s natural beauty, a concern shared by many locals. “They’re like, ‘This is farmland. I don’t want it in my backyard. I love where I live. It’s gorgeous. It’s beautiful. I don’t want this,’” Black explained. “And then when you start talking to them about what this really would mean for their community and their health, they’re even more concerned.”

Developer Withdraws Plans Amid Local Opposition

Within days of the Facebook group’s launch, the Texas-based development firm Cloverleaf announced it was withdrawing its data center plans, citing a lack of support from local officials. The decision marked a major win for the town of Greenleaf, where residents had rallied against the project.

However, Black warns that the battle isn’t over. “We had such strong opposition, [Cloverleaf] said, ‘Okay, we’ll just go elsewhere.’ And that’s what they do, unfortunately,” she said.

Black’s Victory Inspires Nationwide Activism

Despite her success, Black emphasizes that anyone can drive change. “I work with organizers all across the country, and so we really want Greenleaf to be inspirational to the fact that community pushback works, like how important your voice is,” she told People. “I was just one person who started a Facebook page.”