Hancock County, IN - 7/1/2026 Special Meeting - Citizens' Committee on Data Center Siting

This was a special meeting of the Hancock County Government's Citizens' Committee on Data Center Siting held on July 1, 2026. The committee focused on organizing a subcommittee to compile and summarize information related to data center siting recommendations for the planning commission. A motion was passed to form a four-person subcommittee to work with legal staff to prepare an executive summary of the committee's findings and discussions. The meeting also featured a detailed presentation by a Purdue University associate professor on the economic, environmental, and community impacts of data centers, particularly hyperscale facilities supporting AI technologies. Topics included energy consumption, water use, community benefit agreements, workforce development, and regional planning considerations. The committee discussed the importance of transparency, ongoing updates to ordinances, and community engagement in the data center siting process. No specific contracts or procurement decisions were made, but the discussion highlighted potential future policy and planning activities related to data center development in the county.