Dingell Demands U-M, Los Alamos National Laboratory Leadership Directly Respond to Longstanding Community Concerns on Proposed Data Center

Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) once again urged leaders at the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory to respond to Ypsilanti Township community concerns directly and decisively regarding the proposed data center project. The new letter to University of Michigan President Domenico Grasso and Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Dr. Thom Mason follows growing concerns from community members that the project will adversely impact their local infrastructure and quality of life. Congresswoman Dingell ended the letter with a series of questions with the goal of gaining greater clarity for Michiganders asking similar questions about the project.

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear President Grasso and Director Mason:

This is another communication to express my continued deep frustration with the lack of transparency, meaningful community engagement, and clear communication surrounding the proposed University of Michigan-Los Alamos data center.

For more than two years, I have repeatedly urged the University of Michigan to work openly and honestly with Ypsilanti Township. The University of Michigan has not been transparent it its work with the community. Instead, residents and government officials continue to be left with more questions than answers about a project that will impact their community, infrastructure, and quality of life.

As you know, frustration, fear, and anger culminated on June 16, 2026, when the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees voted to formally oppose the project, citing its designation as a "Tier 1 High Value Target Risk." It is unacceptable that the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory continue to move forward while ignoring the serious concerns and questions raised by residents and elected officials.

I previously called on the University to hold a real townhall on this project, where members of the community could publicly ask their questions and receive answers. Instead, the University opted for a one-sided "open house" to give a presentation amplifying this project. Not only did this "open house" fail to answer questions, but it also contributed to increasing anxieties and concerns surrounding the project.

Now, to only exacerbate confusion, I have been told repeatedly by residents of Ypsilanti Township and surrounding communities this facility is involved in producing nuclear weapons and studying defense capabilities. These statements and unanswered questions underscore the consequences of failing to communicate clearly and transparently with the public. I once again urge the University of Michigan and Los Alamos to hold a real public townhall with community dialogue where community concerns are specifically addressed.

My constituents in Ypsilanti Township have the right to be given a full, complete, and accurate understanding of the impacts and work of this project with specific answers to questions on the impacts on local energy demand, water usage, noise pollution, public safety, emergency response capacity, and municipal resources.

Given the significant gravity of these issues, I am asking for specific answers to the following questions by Friday, July 10, 2026. These are questions I hear repeatedly from my constituents and local officials that remain unanswered. I will make the answers to these questions publicly available.

1. Will the University of Michigan-Los Alamos data center be used to produce nuclear weapons?
   
2. Will this data center have the capabilities to produce nuclear weapons?
   
3. How would this data center's "computational nuclear weapons modeling research" impact the advancement of nuclear military technology?
   
4. Does the primary mission of this data center involve the production of materials needed to activate nuclear weapons?
   
5. Will this data center study nuclear defense capabilities?
   
6. Does the University of Michigan have contracts with the U.S. Department of War, previously known as the U.S. Department of Defense?
   
7. Will this data center store or handle hazardous materials?
   
8. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to protect Ypsilanti Township from the effects this data center will have on local energy demand?
   
9. How will the University of Michigan and Los Alamos ensure that Ypsilanti Township residents do not face increased energy costs?
   
10. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to protect Ypsilanti Township from the effects this data center would have on local water demand?
    
11. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to protect Ypsilanti Township from the noise pollution caused by data centers of this size?
    
12. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to address the burden that a data center of this size places on Ypsilanti Township and the project's tax-exempt status?
    
13. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to address the burden this project places on the Ypsilanti Township police and other emergency services and first responders?
    
14. What will the University of Michigan and Los Alamos do to ensure the safety of Ypsilanti Township residents based on the project's classification as a "Tier 1 High Value Target Risk?"
    
15. If the University of Michigan and Los Alamos move forward with the Willow Run location for this project, what are the plans for the property purchased on Textile Road?
    
16. In a June 2026 article, a representative of the University of Michigan stated that "the University continues to evaluate multiple factors and sites related to the project." What are the sites the University is considering for this project?
    
17. A December 2024 memo to the Michigan Strategic Fund Board states that "the project will be located on a 20-acre property in Ypsilanti Township." The Textile Road property purchased for this project is 124 acres. Why has the project expanded since the original planning?
18. Why was Ypsilanti Township selected as the site of this project?
    
19. What benefits will the University of Michigan and Los Alamos provide to the community hosting this data center?
    
20. The project has been referred to as a "economic development magnet." How would this project attract economic opportunities for Ypsilanti Township? What start-ups or high-tech businesses, potential tenants, and collaborators have expressed interest in Ypsilanti Township because of this project?
    
21. What are the University of Michigan and Los Alamos doing to address the lack of transparency surrounding this project and better communicate with the Ypsilanti Township?

This level of uncertainty and confusion regarding a project of this magnitude is unacceptable, and because of this lack of transparency, Ypsilanti Township does not want you as a neighbor. The Ypsilanti Township community deserves transparency, accountability, and engagement from those seeking to operate in their community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your timely response.