YPSILANTI, Michigan — Local officials in Ypsilanti voted to formally oppose construction of a proposed $1.2 billion “high-performance computing facility” tied to the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), citing concerns about nuclear weapons research, environmental impact and the strain such a facility could place on the region’s power grid. The project, promoted as an AI research hub, would support classified and non-classified federal work and is being considered for Ypsilanti Township.
Residents urged the city council to reject the plan, arguing the community should not host a facility connected to a nuclear weapons laboratory 1,500 miles away. Several speakers cited personal or family trauma tied to nuclear testing and questioned why LANL — whose budget is overwhelmingly dedicated to nuclear weapons modernization — would build a supercomputing center in their area. Others raised alarms about noise, water consumption, and rising utility costs reported in towns hosting similar facilities.
City officials also criticized the siting process, saying the University of Michigan failed to adequately engage local governments. The council voted to oppose the project and join Mayors for Peace, an international coalition of cities against nuclear weapons…