I have recently learned that the city of Marshalltown has been approached about possible data center projects being built here. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Alliant energy has applied for and been approved to expand the Marshalltown Generating Station. It already has a 650-megawatt capacity, capable of powering approximately 500,000 homes and businesses. The expansion will increase capacity by an additional 720 megawatts. It might be reasonable to assume those increases are being made to accommodate new data centers in the region or in anticipation of a facility being built here. As a result, we can expect our utility bills to increase. I would like to urge citizens to pay attention to the city council and Marshall County Board of Supervisors’ meeting agendas. Data centers are being discussed. At the last Marshalltown City Council meeting, Councilman Marco Yepez-Gomez proposed a two year moratorium to pause project approval to allow adequate time to study possible impacts on our community and to establish specific city ordinances to regulate new data center construction. It is unfortunate that the moratorium narrowly failed to pass because it is exactly the conservative and sensible action that our elected officials should be taking to protect their community. I hope citizens of Marshalltown and Marshall county will research how data centers will impact us and reach out to our leaders so that they can represent us accurately and with the care we deserve.