Town of Alabama and Genesee County: What Happened in Texas Shouldn't Stay in Texas.

Last week, several members of the Town of Alabama Planning Board and the Town Board, as well as the Town Attorney (who is also the County Attorney) and several other County employees, visited STREAM US Data Center facilities in Texas. STREAM paid for their trip.

We understand that the Town Attorney believes this trip did not violate the General Municipal Law or the Open Meetings Law. The Town Supervisor has justified the trip on the grounds that members of the public have expressed fears regarding the negative impacts of STREAM's planned STAMP data center complex, and has stated that Town officials attended because they wanted to see STREAM facilities for themselves. Legally and ethically, the public has the right to know what representatives from the Town + County learned on their trip, and how that information will influence any decisions they make on the proposed data center plan.

We request the following actions from the Town and County:

• Public officials and employees who attended the trip must share what they learned on the trip with the public. Any information they obtained that may be relevant to their decision-making must be shared with the public on the record as soon as possible, ideally in writing and as part of a public meeting where members of the public are allowed to ask questions and where meeting minutes are entered into the public record.

• Public officials and employees who attended the trip must share who they spoke with, what sites they visited, which aspects of the STREAM facilities they saw in operation, how they plan to utilize what they learned in their decision making, and what outstanding questions remained for them after the trip.

• The obligation to share with the public on the record any information that may bear on decision-making is particularly important for members of the Planning Board, who will vote on the site plan application.

Here's how to take action:

1. Enter your name, zip code, and email address in the form to the right
2. The form will automatically send an email to Town of Alabama Supervisor Rob Crossen, Town of Alabama and Genesee County Attorney Mark Boylan, the Town of Alabama Planning Board, and Genesee County Director of Planning Felipe Oltramari.

Here's what your letter will say:

Dear Town and County Officials,

I have learned that last week, several members of the Town of Alabama Planning Board and the Town Board, as well as the Town Attorney (who is also the County Attorney) and several other County employees, visited STREAM US Data Center facilities in Texas and that STREAM paid for their trip.

I understand that the Town Attorney believes this trip did not violate the General Municipal Law or the Open Meetings Law. The Town Supervisor has justified the trip on the grounds that members of the public have expressed fears regarding the negative impacts of STREAM's planned STAMP data center complex, and has stated that Town officials attended because they wanted to see STREAM facilities for themselves. Legally and ethically, the public has the right to know what representatives from the Town + County learned on their trip, and how that information will influence any decisions they make on the proposed data center plan.

I request the following actions from the Town and County:

• Public officials and employees who attended the trip must share what they learned on the trip with the public. Any information they obtained that may be relevant to their decision-making must be shared with the public on the record as soon as possible, ideally in writing and as part of a public meeting where members of the public are allowed to ask questions and where meeting minutes are entered into the public record.

• Public officials and employees who attended the trip must share who they spoke with, what sites they visited, which aspects of the STREAM facilities they saw in operation, how they plan to utilize what they learned in their decision making, and what outstanding questions remained for them after the trip.

• The obligation to share with the public on the record any information that may bear on decision-making is particularly important for members of the Planning Board, who will vote on the site plan application.

The stakes of the proposed data center complex are - in terms of environmental, economic, and quality of life impacts. Please take your role as public servants and elected officials seriously. You owe no less to the people of Genesee County."

The GCEDC needs to hear from members of the public to stop this massive data center by midnight on Friday, April 17. 

https://act.nyrenews.org/public-comments-on-stream-us-data-centers-stamp-data-center-complex1

And if you can, join us at the supplemental public hearing: Thursday, April 15 at 4pm in the Town of Alabama. Click here to RSVP.

Note: By taking action in the fight against STAMP, you consent to sharing your contact information with Allies of TSN.