An NMU professor said environmental concerns received too little attention at a nearly two-hour data center forum Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Peter White Public Library, according to WLUC.

The Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) and the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance (NMCA) co-hosted the session, which covered how data centers operate, how many exist in Michigan, and their economic impacts. Three speakers presented before taking audience questions, according to WLUC.

Lucy Miller, an associate contingent professor in Northern Michigan University's College of Business, said the presentation fell short on environmental issues. She said she would have liked an environmental expert on the panel.

"It was touched upon but not elaborated upon in a way for folks to enter a basic literacy and understanding those conversations related to noise pollution, water use, environmental energy concerns," Miller said in WLUC’s report.

Miller’s work on data center literacy began earlier this year, and she presented on the topic at NMU’s Sustainability Summit in April, according to the university. In August, she said in an article published by NMU's newsroom that the Great Lakes region's cooler climate, water access and tax incentives make it attractive for large-scale data centers, and that communities need to educate themselves on potential health and environmental impacts.

Dakota Baker, NMCA director, said the forum aimed to give residents factual information to move past misinformation on social media. He said the goal was to help community leaders and members make informed decisions if data center projects are ever proposed locally, according to WLUC.

The panel said there were no current known plans for data centers in the Upper Peninsula, WLUC reported.

Attendee Nick Gualazzi said he came looking for information and received more information at the forum. He told WLUC he was neither for nor necessarily against data centers.