Just weeks after forcing its way into Saline Township against local objections, a massive data center promoted by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking to bypass public meetings to expedite regulatory approvals.
The project, which the governor described as “the largest one-time investment in state history,” involves Related Digital, tied to billionaire megadonor Stephen Ross, DTE Energy, tech companies Oracle and OpenAI, and approximately 575 acres of prime farmland in the agricultural community of 2,200 residents.
Following a lawsuit and legal settlement last month that allowed the project to proceed, DTE and Related Digital are now requesting that the three-member Whitmer-appointed Michigan Public Service Commission approve the project without public hearings by December 5, according to The Detroit News.
