Amid debate over Festus data center, a local election sent a national signal

Amid debate over Festus data center, a local election sent a national signal

Author: St. Louis Public Radio April 24, 2026 Duration: 35:06
Debate over a proposed hyperscale data center in Festus made local and national news this month when voters ousted city council members who approved the plan. With a lawsuit filed and a new city council, the controversy is far from over. We go behind the headlines with STLPR reporters Kavahn Mansouri and Katie Grawitch, who have spent months covering the debates and voter backlash over data centers in Festus and the St. Louis region. Festus resident Erica Carter shares what a data center would mean for her community, and attorney Steve Jeffrey discusses the lawsuit filed against Festus to stop the project before it breaks ground.

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