Jane Fonda boosts Elyria-Swansea's fight over data center

State of play: The Oscar-winning actor joined local environmental justice advocate Harmony Cummings, state Sen. Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins) and dozens of community members blocks from a data center construction site.

Friction point: Construction of the 180,000-square-foot CoreSite facility in Elyria-Swansea has drawn sharp criticism over noise and air pollution.

• Community advocates argue that its diesel generators are another source of significant pollution.

Between the lines: While advocates on Thursday applauded the city's one-year data center construction moratorium, Fonda said the public must keep pressuring elected officials to serve people, not corporations.

Threat level: Across from the CoreSite facility is an under-construction senior living center, an affordable housing complex and a clinic serving predominantly low-income residents. Elyria Park sits around the corner.

• Putting a data center beside places where "people live, love and play every day," reflects the failure of local and state policymaking, Cummings said.
• She alluded to next week's primary election as a chance to select leaders: "I'm tired of people that don't show up."

What they're saying: "They call these sacrifice zones," Fonda said Thursday. "In other words, these people are to be sacrificed. I don't think so, not in the United States."

The other side: A CoreSite spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

• Its spokesperson in February said that community input and engagement were important to the company, and it was working alongside the public to create a good neighbor agreement.

What's next: Kipp said she intends to continue advocating for tougher data center regulations during next year's legislative session.