SELECTED PROJECTS / MICHIGAN
A few examples of how we investigate public decisions, support grassroots information-sharing, and develop tools to recognize emerging issues.
COMMUNITY RESEARCH
GIS & INFRASTRUCTURE
EARLY WARNING
01 / REGIONAL WORK
Helping people make sense of consequential development proposals and the public records surrounding them.
Data-center proposal, annexation and land-use decisions
Researched the proposed Mason-area data center, Vevay Township annexation, zoning questions, developer and property records, and potential infrastructure and environmental effects. Shared information and meeting-preparation materials with community organizers.
Holt Economic Opportunity Park and the data-center proposal
Examined land-use plans, site-readiness funding, LEAP and developer announcements, township decisions and community response. Organized records and research summaries to help residents and grassroots organizers follow the proposal.
02 / MICHIGAN
Community engagement, statewide mapping, information directories and monitoring tools that help surface developments earlier.
Grassroots research and information-sharing
Joined other community members opposing the proposed data center, researched public issues surrounding the proposal, and disseminated information to support grassroots efforts and informed participation.
Energy corridors, affected communities and siting signals
Built GIS-based maps of proposed ITC transmission lines and high-voltage infrastructure to better understand potentially affected communities and examine where future data-center proposals may emerge.
A foundation for early detection and change alerts
Compiled a master list of government meeting agendas, minutes and records portals for use in our custom early data-center detection systems and website-change monitoring workflows, including changedetection.io.
Smaller outlets, grassroots reporting and statewide coverage
Developed a directory of independent and local Michigan news sources, including smaller community publications, to strengthen public-interest research and catch developments national outlets may miss.
Detecting emerging proposals before they become headlines
Developing an early-warning platform that brings together meeting records, development signals, infrastructure information and news to flag potential data-center activity for further human research and verification.
OUR APPROACH
These are brief examples of the research and community support we have undertaken or are developing—not claims that a proposal was stopped or that an early-warning tool is infallible. We distinguish documented facts, open questions and emerging leads.
OUR RESEARCH PRINCIPLES →RESEARCH LEADS
Have a public record, local development question or research lead?
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