Letter to the editor: Protecting Lansing – Support a construction moratorium

To the Editor,

As a concerned resident, taxpayer, and voter of Lansing, I’ve been digging, listening, reading, debating, and uncovering information, layer by layer. This is my opinion as of this day.  

We’re at a point in time where division is distracting and blinding us from taking immediate action on significant items with long term repercussions.  

I called the Code Enforcement office, they said there is nothing they can do on noise disturbances. I didn’t even waste our time asking about light and environmental disturbances. It’s obvious why Lansing is currently undergoing re-zoning and subsequently trying to implement protective measures for our land, residents, and even our town’s neighbors.  Clearly, several large scale operations are trying to get in before that happens. Everybody uses whatever tools we have available to accomplish what is needed. It looks like a large-scale construction moratorium is the only tool available right now to accomplish this. So, let’s use what we’ve got… while we actually can.

TeraWulf’s plan to redevelop the former Milliken/Cayuga site into a large-scale data center brings very real, and enormous, potential impacts to our peace, our lake, our environment, and neighbors.  Many of TeraWulf’s talking points are currently unenforceable under Lansing’s current zoning, laws, and ordinances. 

Their talking points seemingly and conveniently avoid giving the whole picture. They state “55 decibels of operational noise that is inaudible at their property border.” Not only do I believe this is impossible along their western lakefront border, but this figure seems to conveniently omit the impact expected after their stated massive upscaling. Should a clerical error reveal that the 55 dB noise is actually louder and more far-reaching, Lansing and neighboring towns are simply out of luck. Without existing ordinances, the data center will be grandfathered into its new, louder operations with zero requirement to reduce the noise.

TeraWulf’s stated tax revenue seems mathematically misleading. Crucial details like IDA sales-tax exemptions, PILOTs, and abatements are omitted, making it impossible to see the actual tax impact or audit their stated benefit. Since the site already pays taxes, the projected increase is conveniently missing. Furthermore, donating currently taxed, unused land to the tax-exempt FL Land Trust will likely reduce Lansing’s tax base; another undisclosed detail.

The moratorium is not about stopping growth, it’s about giving our community the time to put the right protections in place; to update and strengthen local laws so we can manage all large-impact developments. Without it, we risk losing the vision of the Lansing we value: a peaceful, rural lakeside town where families, farms, and nature coexist without disturbing our neighbors. 

Once Lansing has protections in place, we can fairly and responsibly evaluate TeraWulf’s and other projects. 

-Aaron J. Guilbeau, Lansing