Google data center plan will erase 13.5 acres of Michigan wetlands

Google’s proposed 1‑gigawatt “Project Cannoli” data center in Van Buren Township would permanently eliminate 13.55 acres of wetlands, prompting a state permit review and a public comment deadline of June 26 [1].

Site details and environmental trade‑offs

The facility is slated for a 282‑acre parcel at Haggerty Road and I‑94, with six culverts required for regulated streams and 573 linear feet of stream to be filled and abandoned for construction [1]. To offset the wetland impact, developers plan to purchase 20.6 acres of mitigation‑bank credits in the Huron River watershed and create 1,174 feet of new stream channel on‑site [1]. The Environmental Protection Agency will review the project under Clean Water Act Section 404, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will assess impacts on federally protected species such as bald eagles [1].

Power and community promises

Google estimates the data center will draw as much electricity as 750,000 homes, but it will fund the entire load and add 2.7 GW of solar, battery storage, and demand‑flexibility resources to the Michigan grid, a deal currently awaiting state approval [2]. The company also says the center will use more than 2 million gallons of water per day, none of which will come from local groundwater, relying instead on the Metro Detroit water authority’s surplus capacity [2]. Local officials tout the project as a major taxpayer and job generator, while residents question the transparency of the development process and the long‑term environmental cost [2].

Opposition and regulatory context

Wayne County has lost roughly 90 % of its wetlands to development since 2005, a loss that amplifies concerns about storm‑water management and flood mitigation [1]. Critics argue the site could have been located on a brownfield, noting that Panattoni examined seven such alternatives—including former steel and automotive plants—before settling on the wetland‑rich parcel [1]. EGLE’s environmental analyst highlighted the opportunity to protect remaining wetlands on the property through a permanent conservation easement, noting that mitigation‑bank practices have improved after past shortcomings [1].

What to watch

• Permit timeline – EGLE’s wetland permit decision and EPA review outcomes before the June 26 comment deadline.
• Clean‑energy agreement – Final approval of the 2.7 GW solar and storage package with DTE Energy.
• Local response – Continued public comments and potential legal challenges from conservation groups and township residents.

The dispute underscores a broader tension: large‑scale AI‑driven data centers bring substantial power and tax revenue, yet they also threaten scarce natural assets in regions already stripped of wetlands. How regulators balance these competing interests will shape future data‑center siting in Michigan and beyond.