Turn anger into action: 3 ways to fight back against data centers in Iowa

Data centers seem to be popping up all over Iowa with no end in sight. If you have concerns about these developments, you have opportunities to make your opinions known to local lawmakers.⁣

Lily Jackson

August 7, 2026

A public health meeting hosted by the Linn County Board of Supervisor

Three ways to take action against data centers:

1). Attend a public hearing in your community.

Northwest Iowa

Monday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., Sloan Community Hall, Sloan

Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m., Moville Community Center, Moville

Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., Salix Community Center, Salix

Northeastern Iowa

Monday, Aug. 17 at 5:15 p.m., City Hall, Dubuque

Southeastern Iowa

Monday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m., Jefferson County Courthouse, Fairfield

Central Iowa

Monday, Aug. 10 at 5:30 p.m., City Hall, Marshalltown

2). Sign a petition to tell lawmakers that Iowa has had it with data centers.

Iowa: Say No to Any New Data Centers in Iowa — Sign to Support a Moratorium Now!

Dubuque area: Say No to Dubuque Area Data Center

Marshalltown: Say No to Data Centers in Marshalltown, Iowa

Ames: Don’t Build Data Centers in Ames!

Morgan Valley: Petition – Save Morgan Valley

Palo: Petition · Stop the data center in Palo, Iowa – Palo

Norwalk: Proposed Norwalk Data Center

3). Don’t forget to get ready to vote! Every election is a chance to help shape the future of your community.

Keep Iowa Starting Line free for everyone

If you found this story useful, would you consider supporting Iowa Starting Line?

Every day, our team works to provide Iowans with free, fact-based reporting about the issues, policies, and decisions shaping life across the state. We believe everyone deserves access to trustworthy local news—not just those who can afford a subscription.

That's why you'll never hit a paywall here (though we may ask you to sign up for our newsletter). But keeping our journalism free depends on readers who believe informed communities are worth investing in.

If our reporting has helped you better understand what's happening in Iowa, please consider making a donation today. Every contribution helps us continue reporting, informing, and serving communities across the state.