Mississippi River Communities and Data Centers

The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative helps river communities evaluate proposed AI and data-storage facilities and coordinate responses to their local and basin-wide effects.

Its resources include a data-center Wishlist developed with the Sierra Club and a framework for weighing fiscal returns, public costs, resource use, and community benefits. Water supply, utility capacity, public engagement, and the distribution of benefits are central considerations; water-export restrictions modeled on a Missouri law are also part of the policy discussion. Together, these efforts address how communities can assess development while protecting shared resources.