Rural Wisconsin has become a hotspot for data centers. State’s unique tax instrument explains why

By: Julia Tilton

Outlets: Wisconsin Examiner

Published: January 22, 2026

Words: 1,964

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

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This story was produced by the Daily Yonder

Blaine Halverson joked that his only exposure to data centers was from the Mission Impossible movies in the 1990s. That was, until one came to his town. Over the last seven months, Halverson’s community of Menomonie, Wisconsin, population 16,700, has become a flashpoint in a growing debate over data center development and local control in the state.

Halverson has lived in Menomonie, which is just over …

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