Updated
Updated · Futurism · Aug 7
Google's Hatchworks Seeks to Pave 2.13 Acres of Protected Indiana Wetlands for $2 Billion Data Center
Updated
Updated · Futurism · Aug 7

Google's Hatchworks Seeks to Pave 2.13 Acres of Protected Indiana Wetlands for $2 Billion Data Center

3 articles · Updated · Futurism · Aug 7

Summary

  • Hatchworks LLC has applied to buy 4.26 acres of federally protected wetland near Fort Wayne, with plans to pave 2.13 acres for three new Project Zodiac data center buildings.
  • The filing says the wetland impact cannot be avoided because the required layout, building dimensions and supporting wastewater and electrical infrastructure leave no feasible alternative.
  • Indiana regulators will review the proposal at a virtual public hearing, but developers already list Sept. 14 as the anticipated construction start date for the third phase.
  • The move would extend Google's $2 billion hyperscale campus beyond largely pre-paved farmland into floodplain wetlands that help absorb rainwater, limit erosion and support wildlife near Fort Wayne.

Insights

Can buying wetland credits truly offset the environmental cost of a massive new AI data center in Indiana?
How does paving over federally protected wetlands for tech expansion permanently alter the future of local flood control?
With AI facilities consuming massive power, will local residents end up paying the hidden costs for Project Zodiac?