Data Centers Face Local Pushback | Wichita News

Wichita News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 10, 2026 · 1m

In Lyon County, Kansas, a citizen petition to block new data centers and battery storage facilities was rejected after election officials found the signature collection paperwork improperly filed — missing notarized statements attached to signature pages, making verification impossible. The push came after Emporia’s Planning Commission rezoned land for “light industry,” sparking hopes for job recovery amid recent layoffs from Tyson Foods, Hopkins, and Michelin. But local residents pushed back, arguing data centers offer only a superficial fix for deeper economic wounds. Though the petition…