Wisconsin

Does Wisconsin have laws regulating data centers? What to know about the latest projects, environmental concerns

Published

4 months ago

November 13, 2025

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Does Wisconsin have laws regulating data centers? What to know about the latest projects, environmental concerns

The rise of the digital economy and AI has increased the need for data centers, with 46 currently in Wisconsin and more planned.
Data centers have drawn criticism for their significant water and energy consumption, with some using as much water as a small city.
Many data center operators lack transparency, often signing non-disclosure agreements with local governments about their water usage.
A proposed bill in Wisconsin aims to increase transparency by requiring data centers to report their water and energy use.

While a growing digital economy and use of artificial intelligence has increased the need for physical facilities to store, manage and process data, there is currently little to no regulation in place to mitigate environmental impacts and increase transparency for data processing centers in Wisconsin.

Data centers have drawn criticism from some community members over environmental concerns about sustainability because the facilities require an enormous amount of water and energy to operate. Fewer than one-third track water usage, and, often, data centers sign nondisclosure agreements with local governments on water use.

Midwest states like Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan have become a popular choice for housing data centers due to their close proximity to the Great Lakes, which are seen as an endless freshwater supply.

According to datacentermap.com, Wisconsin is currently home to 46 data processing centers, or data centers, with plans for more. The facilities are concentrated in southeastern Wisconsin, particularly in the Milwaukee area, which, for now, is home to 20 data centers.

Here’s your guide to data centers in Wisconsin.

Does Wisconsin have laws regulating data centers?

Currently, the only mention of data centers in state statute is for tax incentives, however, a newly proposed bill would create rules to fill a “legislative void” by increasing transparency surrounding massive data processing and storage facilities.

In a Nov. 6 memo, bill co-sponsor Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin, D-Whitefish Bay, said the legislation aims to hold data centers and the companies behind them accountable by requiring more transparency around water usage and energy consumption. Additionally, the bill would require increased renewable energy sources across the state, prioritize good-paying, local jobs and insulate ratepayers from the costs of these projects.

While a lot of decisions surrounding data centers originate at the local level of government, Habush Sinykin said in a Nov. 6 press release the state Legislature also “has a responsibility to regulate this emerging industry.”

“The new legislation being proposed today is about making sure that we have clear, statewide guardrails in place that provide people in communities across Wisconsin with the information and transparency they need to engage in the local decision-making process in an informed, effective manner from the start,” Habush Sinykin said.

What impact do data centers have on the environment?

An August report from the Alliance for the Great Lakes found some data center sites can use between 1 and 5 million gallons of water per day. The average American household uses a few hundred gallons a day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Many Great Lakes states lead the nation in the number of data centers due to the freshwater resources available to them, which are needed to cool hyperscale data centers, some of which can use as much water as a small city.

The report contends that data center owners are not transparent about their water footprint, and there is no requirement for them share that information publicly. Fewer than one-third track water usage, and, often, data centers sign nondisclosure agreements with local governments on water use.

On Sept. 15, Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a legal action, on behalf of the Milwaukee Riverkeeper, against the City of Racine to disclose projected water use at Microsoft’s Mount Pleasant data center.

The move is one of the first of many that will likely become the next phase of controversy over Great Lakes water rights as more tech companies look to the region for its seemingly endless supply of water.

Unsustainable water use can cause cities to sink because the ground becomes more compact. The Alliance for the Great Lakes report notes Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis and Detroit sink more each year. Over time, this threatens drinking water supplies and infrastructure.

How much energy do data centers in Wisconsin use?

Demand for energy is increasing in Wisconsin, in part, due to the data centers popping up in the state.

Data centers in southeast Wisconsin account for more than half the 3.3 gigawatts of increased energy demand WEC Energy Group, We Energies’ parent company, expects to experience by 2030, said President and CEO Scott Lauber during an Oct. 30 earnings call.

These include the first phase of Microsoft’s $7.3 billion Mount Pleasant data center project and a $15 billion data center campus in Port Washington, which will power OpenAI and Oracle’s artificial intelligence programs.

While data centers account for a large part of the increased demand for energy in Wisconsin, We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said demand for energy in Wisconsin is also expected to grow outside of data center projects, which has prompted the company to file a flurry of applications to spend more than $5.5 billion on new energy projects.

The utility filed plans for nine major energy projects with the state Public Service Commission on Oct. 17. If approved, the plants would add nearly three gigawatts of energy to the grid, or enough to power more than two million homes.

Since a majority of the expected energy demand is coming from data centers, under We Energies’ proposal, data center customers would be required to cover 75% of the cost to build and maintain the plant, which would be passed along through energy bills. Other We Energies customers would cover the remaining 25%, as well as the annual cost of natural gas.

Additionally, as part of its rate plan proposal, We Energies would require data center companies to enter a 10-year service agreement that then automatically renews for one-year terms. If a company ends its agreement early, it would have to pay the remaining cost of the infrastructure powering its data centers.

Where are Wisconsin’s major data center projects?

Here’s where some of Wisconsin’s major data center projects are happening, as of Nov. 13.

Mount Pleasant Microsoft data center campus

Microsoft is finishing construction on its first Racine County data center, which is to be completed in early 2026. The company says it plans to hire more than 400 employees to work at the first data center and once the second data center opens, the total number of employees will be nearly 800 for both facilities.

Construction for the second data center is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2028. Thousands of construction jobs are planned for the completion of the data center, the company said.

Microsoft just expanded its Racine County data center land holdings with two more purchases totaling around $38 million, according to land deeds posted online by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue on Nov. 10. Microsoft said it now owns 2,005 acres in Mount Pleasant.

Beaver Dam Meta data center

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, plans to spend more than $1 billion to build a data center in Beaver Dam. The data center campus will span over 700,000 square feet, according to a Nov. 12 Wisconsin Economic Development Corp announcement.

The planned data center would bring roughly 100 jobs to the area and support 1,000 construction trade jobs in the process, the company said. The data center is planning to go online in 2027.

QTS development in Dane County

Data center operator QTS is in the process of submitting a zoning application to the DeForest Village Board for its proposed multibillion dollar development in Dane County.

The Virginia-based company wants to develop up to five buildings over time, though those plans could change depending on the village board approval process. The company has purchase agreements for the project site, which are contingent on its rezoning.

If approved, QTS also plans on starting a $50 million fund to support local institutions, which includes scholarships and workforce partnerships with Madison Area Technical College and research partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

How many data centers are there in Wisconsin?

As of November 2025, Wisconsin is home to 46 data centers, and that number is only growing. Is there a data center in your community? Check out the list below:

Milwaukee area (20 data centers)

Data Holdings Milwaukee: 3135 W. Highland Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TierPoint Milwaukee: 3701 W. Burnham St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1547 Critical Systems Realty: 324 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TSR Solutions: 324 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
New Era Technology-Milwaukee: 10400 W. Innovation Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Aventus Lakes: 7901 W. Clinton Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cogent Data Center-Milwaukee 1: 324 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cogent Data Center-Milwaukee 2: 2915 S 5th Court, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Netwurx Milwaukee: 324 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Vaultas Milwaukee: 3135 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
ISCorp North MQN: 10325 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, Wisconsin
ISCorp South MQN: 10235 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, Wisconsin
CyberLynk Network Inc.: 10125 S. 52nd St., Franklin, Wisconsin
Expedient Franklin: 4777 Ironwood Drive, Franklin, Wisconsin
Windstream Brookfield: 13935 Bishops Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Lumen Milwaukee: 3235 Intertech Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Veolina Data Center: 8450 W. Forest Home Ave., Greenfield, Wisconsin
Cloverleaf Ozaukee County: Lake Drive/Dixie Drive, Port Washington, Wisconsin
Airiam Hartland: 1040 Cottonwood Ave., Hartland, Wisconsin
Mircosoft: Caldonia, Wisconsin*

*Microsoft abandoned its plans to have 244 acres of farm land rezoned for a data center after pushback from residents and local officials. However, it is possible Microsoft will still build a Caledonia data center at a new location in the village or somewhere else in the county.

Madison area (11 data centers)

US Signal Madison WI01: 222 W. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisconsin
US Signal Madison WI02: 5515 Nobel Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
EdgeConneX Madison: 4916 E. Broadway, Madison, Wisconsin
Dane County Data Exchange 1: 4916 E. Broadway, Madison, Wisconsin
Dane County Data Exchange 2: 3351 Dairy Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
5NINES Data Center: 222 W. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisconsin
SupraNet Madison: 8000 Excelsior Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
HC Colo #1: 612 W. Main St., Madison, Wisconsin
Lumen Madison: 612 W. Main St., Madison, Wisconsin
Meta: N8853 County Road A, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
QTS Wisconsin: Dane County, Wisconsin

Kenosha-Racine area (5 data centers)

OFFSITE: 3618 7th Ave., Kenosha, Wisconsin
ExcalTech Kenosha: 3618 8th Ave., Kenosha, Wisconsin
Microsoft: 12123-12827 Louis Sorenson Road, Sturtevant, Wisconsin
Microsoft: 12734 Louis Sorenson Road, Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
Microsoft: County Rd KR and 90th St, Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin

Fox River Valley (5 data centers)

Ark Data Centers Green Bay: Fire Lane 11, Harrison, Wisconsin
WIN-Green Bay Data Center: 417 Pine St., Green Bay, Wisconsin
Netsonic Wisconsin Data Center: 1263 Main St., Green Bay, Wisconsin
HBS Little Chute: 1700 Stephen St., Little Chute, Wisconsin
New Era Technology-Appleton: 2201 E. Enterprise Ave., Appleton, Wisconsin

Central Wisconsin (3 data centers)

Wildcard One Data Center: Indianhead Drive, Mosinee, Wisconsin
Aventus 715: 901 Commerce Drive, Marshfield, Wisconsin
CyberOne Data: 141 Market Ave., Port Edwards, Wisconsin

Chippewa Valley (2 data centers)

WIN-Eau Claire Data Center: 800 Wisconsin St., Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Balloonist LLC (unknown company): County Road B, Menomonie, Wisconsin

Francesca Pica, Caitlin Looby, Ricardo Torres and Claudia Levens of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

Anna Kleiber can be reached at akleiber@gannett.com.

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Wisconsin

NE Wisconsin community, politicians react to US airstrikes in Iran

Published

7 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

NE Wisconsin community, politicians react to US airstrikes in Iran

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – The United States launched airstrikes in Iran on Wednesday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and prompting fast reactions from across northeast Wisconsin.

In Appleton, over a dozen of protesters came together at Houdini Plaza, protesting the strikes and calling for peace, and in Green Bay, protesters lined the streets with signs condemning the strikes.

One protester we spoke with said the strikes were not about the nuclear protest, but for a regime change.

“All I could think of is WMDs that got us the last war in the Middle East, and it was just a lot of bunk, and the other thing is he said is he’s trying to overthrow the current regime,” said John Cuff of Appleton.

Area lawmakers are also reacting to the attacks in Iran.

Senator Tammy Baldwin released a statement following President Trump’s announcement of the strikes, saying: “My whole career, I have been steadfast in the belief that doing the hard work of diplomacy is the answer, not war. I believed that when I voted against a war in Iraq and I believe it today. Iran poses a real threat and one we need to take head on, but getting into another endless war is not the answer.

“President Trump illegally bombed Iran, totally disregarding the Constitution, putting American troops in harm’s way, and starting another war in the Middle East with no end in sight. The Constitution is clear: if the President wants to start a war, Congress – elected by the people – needs to sign off on it. The Senate needs to come back immediately to vote on this President’s senseless and illegal bombings– I know where I stand.

“Have we learned nothing from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Doubling down with another open-ended war without realistic goals or a strategy to win is not only foolish, but also recklessly puts Wisconsin’s sons and daughters at risk.

“President Trump pledged to the American people that he would not get involved in another foreign war, and this is yet another broken promise from this President. The President needs to listen to the people he represents: Americans want fewer foreign wars and more focus on them and their everyday struggles.”

Representative Tom Tiffany also released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “My thoughts are with the brave U.S. forces carrying out these precision strikes and with the safety of American personnel in the region.”

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin lawmakers react to US and Israel attack on Iran

Published

19 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin lawmakers react to US and Israel attack on Iran

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -Wisconsin’s congressional delegation is responding to the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran, with members divided sharply along party lines.

Republicans back military action

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a retired U.S. Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments across the Middle East, released a statement supporting the action.

The current Iranian regime has been sowing the seeds of terror around the world for decades.
They are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and it is time they are held accountable.
May God bless our Troops and give them: Strength, Wisdom, and Courage. pic.twitter.com/j1f05DF4Wk
Advertisement

— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) February 28, 2026

“For decades, the Iranian regime has fueled terror and violence across the world. This regime has operated with impunity for far too long, spreading chaos while threatening the security of the United States and our partners. Their hands are stained with the blood of thousands of Americans,” Van Orden said.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) also posted support for the military operation on social media, writing: “May God bless and protect our troops as they attempt to liberate the long suffering people of Iran.”

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) also expressed support for the military operation.

“My thoughts are with the brave U.S. forces carrying out these precision strikes and with the safety of American personnel in the region,” Tiffany said.

My thoughts are with the brave U.S. forces carrying out these precision strikes and with the safety of American personnel in the region. https://t.co/LnaMs91Z7z
— Rep. Tom Tiffany (@RepTiffany) February 28, 2026

Democrats condemn strikes as unconstitutional

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) criticized the military action on social media, suggesting the strikes were intended to distract from domestic issues.

“Eliminating a nuclear program (that Trump already said was eliminated) & Regime Change. Don’t look at your wallets & what you are paying more for due to Trump’s tariffs OR care about the Epstein files. Trump wants to divert your attention & is willing to kill people to do it,” Pocan said.

Last night, Donald Trump put American troops in harms way without Congressional authority. He is liable for every drop of blood spilled. Congress must immediately vote on a War Powers Resolution to end this illegal war before Trump destabilizes the entire region.
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@RepMarkPocan) February 28, 2026

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called the strikes illegal and demanded the Senate return to vote on the matter.

“President Trump illegally bombed Iran, totally disregarding the Constitution, putting American troops in harm’s way, and starting another war in the Middle East with no end in sight,” Baldwin said. “The Constitution is clear: if the President wants to start a war, Congress – elected by the people – needs to sign off on it.”

Baldwin also drew comparisons to previous military engagements.

Baldwin noted that Trump had pledged to avoid foreign wars. “President Trump pledged to the American people that he would not get involved in another foreign war, and this is yet another broken promise from this President,” she said.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 6-6-3

Evening: 9-7-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 6-4-5-0

Evening: 1-9-8-8

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 01-02-03-09-11-12-13-15-16-17-19

Evening: 03-05-06-07-08-12-14-15-16-17-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

08-10-11-21-25

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

06-21-22-26-27-30, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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