News Release

FORT WAYNE — The interim president of the Fort Wayne Common Council is urging Google to meet with residents as scrutiny grows over a new air permit tied to the company’s $2 billion data center now under construction on the city’s southeast side.

The location of Google’s Fort Wayne data center as of 2024, at 6015 Adams Ctr Rd., Fort Wayne. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management approved a petition from the tech giant to build the second phase of its data center campus over two acres of wetland. Photo from Google Maps.

Google has asked the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for permission to install 179 diesel backup generators at the site. The request has prompted concerns from residents who fear possible health, noise and pollution impacts. Interim council president Geoff Paddock outlined those worries in a letter to the agency on Wednesday, Nov. 26 and said he has heard from numerous constituents since the application became public.

Geoff Paddock

Paddock noted that when the council approved rezoning for the property in late 2023, officials did not raise the issue of large-scale backup power needs. He said the project had been described as a quiet operation with minimal impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

The data center was first linked to Google in January 2024 after operating under the name Project Zodiac. The company initially planned an $845 million investment, which expanded to $2 billion in April.

The development is expected to add about 200 jobs over several years.

Paddock has asked IDEM to ensure the company pursues the safest and most efficient backup energy options and uses top pollution control practices. He has also called on Google representatives to hold a public forum in Fort Wayne to address the generator proposal and respond directly to community concerns.