KANSAS – The WEALTH Coalition demands state and local policies that prioritize the health, safety, and welfare of Kansas communities.
Kansas (September 1, 2026) – The Kansas WEALTH (Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health) Coalition released a joint statement calling for a data center moratorium until significant guardrails are established to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Kansas communities.
The attached statement defines the principles under which guardrails must be developed:
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Corporate accountability – Requires developers to be transparent and accountable
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Transparent third-party studies – Evaluates the environmental and infrastructure impact
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Protection of local water resources – Safeguards the long-term needs of Kansans
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Establish reasonable buffer zones – Distance from schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods
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Meaningful public participation – Creates opportunities for community input
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Comprehensive review processes – Base reviews on unique impacts and local circumstances
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New Clean Capacity and Energy – Generate or purchase their own new clean energy
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Energy efficiency standards – Build to the highest standards to reduce further grid impacts
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Public reporting – Ensure accountability regarding public water and energy use
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Fair labor standards – Require prevailing wage and apprenticeship programs
The statement is posted online (bit.ly/ksdatacenters) and is available as a sign-on letter for individuals and organizations who want to show their support for a data center moratorium and common sense guardrails that protect our Kansas communities.
Quotes from our members:
“The mad rush to site and build large-scale data centers, supported by state tax abatements and with little public oversight, puts us in a wild-west scenario. The challenges that these huge facilities pose – profligate use of water and energy in particular, but also how we make the richest corporations in human history live up to their commitments to our communities – must be addressed before we mortgage our state’s future to tech billionaires.” – Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director, Kansas Interfaith Action.
“The choices we make around large-scale data centers today will define our region’s climate future for generations. If we fail to power this massive digital demand with clean energy, we risk locking in higher pollution, overburdening our power grid, and leaving local communities to pay the price. By demanding clean energy generation, grid resilience, and genuine accountability right now, we can ensure technology drives a thriving, sustainable future—rather than compromising it.” — Dorothy Barnett, Executive Director, Climate + Energy Project
“Whether it’s the extreme energy consumption, water use, air pollution, land disturbance, or other problems, these hyperscale data centers have proven detrimental to the environment and to the communities that host them. Kansans deserve more protections to ensure A.I. data centers are designed sustainably, sited properly, taxed appropriately, and don’t harm our communities and environment.” — Zack Pistora, Kansas Director, Sierra Club
“Large-scale data centers will strain our power supplies and tap into already limited water sources, particularly impacting the most vulnerable across the state. Kansans are speaking out to say we don’t want Kansas communities to shoulder the burden of data centers, while the wealthy reap the rewards. Kansans deserve better.” — Tom Buller, Executive Director, Kansas Rural Center
About KS WEALTH: The mission of the Kansas WEALTH Coalition is to advance climate resilience and clean energy policies across the state. By collaboratively and equitably building power, we identify opportunities to reduce risk and increase resilience in the face of a changing climate. Reducing climate risks positively impacts our state’s Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health – WEALTH
