Two huge data center projects in Montgomery County are dividing the community 06/14/2026
Another assignment I photohraphed for the Columbia Missourian. This is a very divisive issue in Montgomery county.
An army of large excavators and earth moving equipment sit at the former Hoette Farms and Nursery along US Interstate 70 on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. Hoette Farms and Nursery has moved to a new location in Jonesburg, Missouri
A very large pile of excavated soil lies behind the former remnants of tree rows of the Hoette Farm and Nursery Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The excavation is part of a large Google data center construction along US Interstate 70.
Large dump trucks traverse the area of the former site of Hoette Farm and Nursery, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The dumps trucks are part of the large contingent of excavating equipment being used to build a data center for Google.
Two large excavators remove soil from an area about two miles northeast of US Interstate 70 and Missouri Highway 19 junction, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The excavators are part of the construction of an Amazon data center being built at the location.
Two signs in the front yard of a New Florence resident, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The sign on the left supports the campaign of Harry Cope, who is running for the seat of county commissioner and is opposed to the building of the two data center currently under construction.
A large billboard facing the eastbound lanes of US interstate 70 right across from the construction site for the Google data center, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The billboard was paid for the by the Missouri Crisis Center, a group dedicated to preserving the farmland of Missouri from development of data centers and other projects.
A view of the amount earth that has been moved for the construction of the Google data center on the former site of the Hoette Farm and Nursery, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in New Florence, Missouri. The data center is being opposed by residents of Montgomery County along with the Missouri Crisis Center.
Sylvia Kueny speaks at the Save Montgomery County meeting held in the public library, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Montgomery City, Missouri. Kueny is an organizer with the group and log time resident of Montgomery County.
Residents of Montgomery County joined together for the Save Montgomery County group meeting held in the public library, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Montgomery City, Missouri. The organization is a grass roots effort to oppose and stop two data centers for Google and Amazon currently under construction in their county.
Judy Batton votes for a measure proposed in the Save Montgomery County meeting held in the public library, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Montgomery City, Missouri. Batton is wearing campaign buttons for Harry Cope, a candidate for County Commissioner and No Data Centers, Batton is a resident of the county and opposes the building of the two data centers by Google and Amazon.