The LWV-TSC Climate Committee keeps us informed about policies and initiatives that support – or oppose – our researched position on climate, energy, and sustainability. Recently, the Committee learned about two upcoming meetings of Shawnee County leaders that could quickly pave the way for location of a large scale data center in Shawnee County.
Read the planned testimony below prepared by LWV Climate Committee co-Chair Vicki Arnett, and consider contacting your County Commissioner AND attending the following meetings:
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Shawnee County Planning Commission | June 8, 6:00 p.m.
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Shawnee County Annex
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1515 NW Saline Street, First Floor Conference Room
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Shawnee County Board of Commissioners | June 11, 9:00 a.m.
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707 SE Quincy Street, Commission Chambers 1st floor
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Show your support for open, transparent government by participating. Show up – Speak Out!
Data Center Testimony
May 30, 2026
My name is Vicki Arnett and I am co-chair of the League of Women Voters Topeka Shawnee-County climate committee. The climate committee supports the development of clean energy sources. Although we do not have a position supporting or opposing data centers, we do have a core value of encouraging public participation in community decisions through transparent, deliberative government processes. The speed which the planning commission reviewed and approved rezoning allowing the development of data centers through the conditional use permit process allows for neither public participation or transparent government.
Friday May 8th, Commissioner Aaron Mays, speaking on Eye on Northeast Kansas WIBW, denied any data centers were currently under consideration. Monday, May 11th, the Shawnee County Planning Commission passed a rezoning ordinance allowing for the development of large data centers through the conditional use permitting process. Wed. May 13th, Go Topeka spoke at JEDO for the first time publicly revealing a non-disclosure agreement between Go Topeka and an unknown entity to develop a large data center in Shawnee County. The public has been completely cut out of this process. The public will continue to be cut out of this process through the conditional use permitting process. The parameters of the location, size, scale, energy needs, environmental impact, financial impact on residential energy and water customers, noise, light pollution and water usage will be determined by Go Topeka.
We ask the planning commission to put in place a one-year moratorium to develop regulations to limit the development of data centers. This will allow the public to participate in a process that is transparent and holds governing bodies accountable for the decisions made. The planning commission spent more than two years developing regulations of large-scale solar installations for the benefit of the public good. We are asking you to do the same regarding data centers in order to prevent harm to the community.
Thank you for your service.
