After marathon public hearing showing strong opposition to STAMP, more ways to make voice heard

Editor:

On March 19, as I listened to 5 ½ hours of testimony during GCEDC’s public hearing on its proposal to award $1.46 billion in financial incentives to a data center complex at STAMP, I felt a new sense of community with my fellow Genesee County residents.

I learned that they share my concerns about this plan. I learned they too fear the air and water pollution, 24/7 noise, impacts on our precious wildlife and birds.

They also see the proposed tax abatements to STREAM US Data Centers, their financial backer Apollo Global Management, and an undisclosed Big Tech firm operator as a bad investment for our County.

We all think 125 jobs – at $11.7 million per job in incentives – is just not worth the harms. That Big Tech and Private Equity will put their own profits before the well-being of our County.

That GCEDC needs to justify why it wants to invite a company – Apollo – whose former and current execs have extensive ties to Jeffrey Epstein, into our community.

That GCEDC must reject this harmful proposal. We can do better.

So, join me on March 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. for Desserts and Data Centers with Allies of TSN at the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia or Zoom video conferencing. Go to GCEDC’s Board Meeting on March 26 at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center.

Submit a comment to GCEDC at streampublichearing@gcedc.com by March 31. Call/text (585) 300-4925 or “No Monster Data Center at STAMP” Facebook group for more info.

Alyssa Beuler

Oakfield