Iowa groups ramp up campaigns for and against data centers

By: Cami Koons

Outlets: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published: August 25, 2026

Words: 1,947

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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For 45 years, Hugh Espey worked with Iowa communities in opposition to large scale livestock operations and pipelines. Now as concern toward data centers mounts, Espey said he sees parallels to the previous fights.

Espey is retired from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, or ICCI, but continues to serve as an adviser for the group, which is one of several Iowa organizations that recently launched initiatives raising concerns about data centers.

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