Lawsuit seeks to block Amazon data center permit in Hobart, Ind.

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A lawsuit seeks to block the city of Hobart, Indiana from issuing a permit for a proposed Amazon data center after a heated plan commission meeting approved a fill permit. Opponents argue the city violated state law by skipping key steps like hosting a public information meeting, while Amazon says the project could bring over 400 permanent full-time jobs with average pay of $37-44 per hour.

Why it matters

The proposed Amazon data center has sparked controversy in Hobart, with residents raising concerns about transparency, lack of public input, and the unknown impact of such a large development. The legal battle over the permit could delay or potentially block the project, which Amazon claims would bring significant economic benefits to the area.

The details

The lawsuit was filed by a group called "No data centers Hobart Indiana" led by Angelita Soriano, who argues the city council violated state law by skipping steps like a public information meeting before approving the plan commission's decision to grant Amazon a fill permit. Besides the lack of a site plan, other unknowns include how many buildings will be part of the data center and what they will look like. Amazon has paid the city $47 million for the project, which they say could create over 400 permanent full-time jobs with average pay of $37-44 per hour.

• The plan commission approved the fill permit for Amazon in a heated meeting last Thursday.
• The lawsuit seeking to block the permit will go before a Lake County judge on Wednesday morning.

What’s next

The judge in Lake County will decide on Wednesday whether Hobart can move forward with issuing the fill permit to Amazon for the proposed data center project.