Partnering to support physical and digital communities focused on legal and ethical AI, and helping communities engage with AI-related development to foster more fair, sustainable outcomes.
AI infrastructure—data centers, renewable energy installations, battery storage facilities—is arriving in communities across America faster than local governance can adapt. There is a fundamental asymmetry between hyperscale developers with billions in capital and dedicated legal teams, and the local communities—often rural and underresourced—that host these facilities.
Data centers are not intrinsically good or bad. How we build them and how we use them determines that.
ALEA works to balance this relationship through transparency, open tools, and coordination. Data centers and other AI infrastructure should be good neighbors, and communities deserve the information and resources to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their land, environment, and quality of life.
We believe that good outcomes come from informed participation and balanced relationships. Our work is not anti-development—it is pro-transparency and pro-community-empowerment. When communities have access to accurate information, adequate resources, and meaningful seats at the table, the resulting agreements are more durable, more equitable, and better for everyone involved.
We develop open-source tools, conduct research, and pursue public records work to give communities the resources they need to engage effectively with AI-related infrastructure development.
An open-source web application for Michigan residents to document and track evidence related to nuisance cases involving data centers, solar parks, battery storage, and related construction. The application captures photos, video, and audio with metadata, GPS location, and timestamps aligned with Michigan evidentiary standards, helping residents build well-documented records of impacts to their properties and quality of life.
Research documenting 116 infrastructure development moratoria across 30 states, providing communities and policymakers with empirical data on how jurisdictions are responding to rapid infrastructure deployment. This research helps communities understand the range of policy tools available to them and how other jurisdictions have used temporary pauses to develop adequate regulatory frameworks.
FOIA requests and public records work to ensure communities have access to information about infrastructure development decisions. Transparent governance is essential when large-scale projects reshape local land use, tax structures, and environmental conditions. Our public records work includes the Saline Township consent judgment records, which document how a democratic denial of a $7 billion data center was reversed through litigation in approximately 30 days.
ALEA partners with community organizations, local governments, and academic institutions to support joint events focused on helping communities understand and engage with AI-related infrastructure development. This includes workshops, informational sessions, and resource sharing designed to give residents, officials, and stakeholders the context they need to make informed decisions.
We work to connect communities facing similar challenges so they can share experiences, strategies, and lessons learned. Whether a township is evaluating its first data center proposal or a region is developing a comprehensive infrastructure policy, we aim to ensure that relevant information and expertise are accessible.
If you are a community member, local official, organization, or researcher working on issues related to AI infrastructure and community impact, we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate. We are particularly interested in hearing from communities that are navigating infrastructure development proposals and need access to information, tools, or expertise.
Reach out to start a conversation about how we can work together.