JSTA is currently leading an initiative petition to establish a temporary 12-month moratorium on hyperscale data center development in Joplin.

What is a moratorium? 

A moratorium is a strategic pause—a time-out that allows our community to catch its breath. Rather than rushing into permanent decisions, this initiative ensures that Joplin has the time to:

• Conduct Independent Impact Studies: Fully assess the long-term strain on our local water table and electrical grid.

• Update Zoning & Noise Ordinances: Modernize our city codes to handle the unique industrial footprint of massive server farms.

• Establish Legally Binding Protections: Ensure that no development proceeds without an enforceable Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) that protects residential utility rates and our natural environment.

Why now?

Technology moves fast, but infrastructure is forever. We believe Joplin deserves a "Show-Me" approach to development—where data is verified, experts are consulted, and the public is informed before we move forward.

At JSTA, we believe that large-scale technological growth must be a two-way street. To ensure that Joplin’s resources are protected, we are advocating for a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).

What is a CBA? 

A court-enforceable contract between a developer and the community. It sets a mandatory standard for transparency, environmental stewardship, and financial responsibility.

Our CBA Pillars:

• Environmental Protections: We demand higher-than-standard safeguards for our local ecosystem, including strict "green-buffer" zones and sustainable building practices that minimize the carbon footprint of industrial facilities.

• Local Hiring Guarantee: The CBA must include a legally binding "First Source" hiring policy, ensuring that construction and operational jobs are prioritized for Joplin residents and local union members.

• Utility Rate Protections: We require a "Ratepayer Shield" that contractually prohibits developers from passing the costs of grid or water infrastructure upgrades onto residential utility bills.

• Enforceable Noise and Water Limits: Moving beyond vague ordinances, we demand hard, decibel-level caps on noise and gallon-per-day limits on water usage—with automatic fines for non-compliance.

• Environmental Impact Offsets: For every acre developed, the project must fund a corresponding "Impact Offset," such as neighborhood greening, native prairie restoration, or local water-shed conservation.

• Community Betterment Fund: A developer-funded, community-administered trust to support local STEM education, broadband expansion for underserved areas, and infrastructure improvements that benefit all of Joplin.

Joplin deserves the best, and we're demanding it now!