So many questions...
What's happening in Wiscasset?
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
The town of Wiscasset has entered into a nondisclosure agreement with an unnamed developer who wants to build a 200+ acre Hyperscale AI Data Center on a 300 acre forested lot along the banks of the Back River.
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
Hyperscale AI Data Centers are massive, industrial-scale factory complexes, designed to run AI supercomputing, which requires far more power, cooling, and infrastructure than traditional data storage facilities.
Bottom Line
Hyperscale AI Data Centers are:
- Larger, and always expanding
- Hotter, requiring massive cooling and water
- Hungrier, for electricity
- More resource-intensive
- More corporate-controlled
- Less beneficial to local residents
While bringing minimal jobs, ongoing strain on power and water, and tax deals that shift the burden to residents.
How would a Data Center affect me?
What is a Hyperscale AI Data Center?
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
- Limited job creation
- Questionable Tax Relief
- Water consumption
- Energy consumption
- PFAs contamination
- Air pollution
- Noise pollution
- Lack of Public Transparency
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
Per a recent FOAA request of documents received from the Town of Wiscasset, they have been in conversation with the developer since approximately November, 2024.
Where is the proposed site?
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
Where is the proposed site?
The proposed site is an approx. 300 acre parcel along the Back River that is owned by the town of Wiscasset. The southern boundary of this parcel is Old Ferry Road, and the parcel in question is across that road from the Maine Yankee site.
Who is the developer?
How long has the town been talking to the developer?
Where is the proposed site?
Because a nondisclosure agreement was signed between the town and the developer, the name of the company is unknown.
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
Wiscasset received a $240,000 ARPA grant from Lincoln County to conduct land use analysis and to develop a community-driven conceptual master plan to build a neighborhood with attainable housing for young people, families, and seniors, called the Old Ferry Road Property Development. Upon learning an AI developer had interest in the property, the town asked to divert the ARPA funds to a different property in Wiscasset so they could consider the proposal forthcoming for a Data Center on the Ferry Road site. Because these funds were specifically earmarked for the Ferry Road site, the Lincoln County Commissioners had to decline disbursing those funds. Here is a link to the Town of Wiscasset's site re: the original intention for the property:
https://www.wiscasset.gov/227/Proposed-Old-Ferry-Road-Property-Develop
What is an NDA and is it legal for the town to sign one?
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
An NDA is a nondisclosure agreement, binding the parties to maintain confidentiality about all aspects of the project. Many communities across the USA report that this is common practice for AI data companies so that the public is kept in the dark until a formal proposal is made.
The state of Maine has a Freedom of Access Act that prohibits NDAs from covering most information in regard to town business, especially in a process that is a public one, but there are exceptions. Here is a link to the State of Maine's site re: this subject. https://www.maine.gov/foaa/
What is the new Maine law re: power usage by Data Centers?
What happened to the housing grant that was awarded to Wiscasset?
This bill prohibits an entity providing generation service to Data Centers in the State from providing an amount of electricity that is more than 25% of the amount of electricity sold to all of the entity's customers in the State in a calendar year. The prohibition does not apply to a generation service provider that is providing generation service behind the meter to a Data Center adjacent to the electricity generating facility. The bill requires generation service providers to file quarterly reports with the Public Utilities Commission, including information about data centers that are receiving service from the generation service provider. The Public Utilities Commission may adopt routine technical rules to implement the requirements of this legislation.
What is the new Maine law re: sale of tax acquired properties?
What is the new Maine law re: sale of tax acquired properties?
This bill amends the municipal sale of foreclosed property process to allow for a deed in lieu of foreclosure from the delinquent property owner. The bill amends the sale process to require mandatory notices to the delinquent owner and sets forth a series of actions required before a municipality can complete its sale of the property. Deductions for the expenses of the municipality are allowed to be deducted from the funds received from the sale of foreclosed, tax-acquired property above what the former owner owed the municipality.