Councilor Senbrick. credit: Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance of GPT-4.o.
Council President Hilma Plater-Zybrick (center) and members of the Federal Council of the Realm of Bricklyn. credit: Eagle staff photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance of Dall E-3 AI.
The Council unanimously adopted Federal Council President Hilma Plater-Zybrick’s motion to schedule a public hearing on Senbrick’s resolution for Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and request comments from the Chief Prognosticator of the Realm no later than Friday, January 2, 2026.
As Plater-Zybrick noted: “This is clearly a controversial issue facing our Realm. In light of its significant potential impacts, and in accordance with our Constitution’s provision that the Federal Council may request the advice of the Chief Prognosticator of the Realm on any matter the Council deems to have a ‘high likelihood of significantly affecting the future of the Realm of Bricklyn,’ we have requested the Chief Prognosticator provide his written advice on Resolution 25-73 no later than Friday, January 2, 2026.
“Any advice offered by the Chief Prognosticator shall also be made publicly available.”
The Office of the Chief Prognosticator declined to respond to The Bricklyn Eagle’s request to speak with Chief Prognosticator David Bricks.
To the Editor: Not sure why the Council is asking Chief Prognosticator David Bricks for advice. At this point in the process let’s hear what the public has to say. Open discussion shouldn’t be short-circuited by calling for the Chief Prognosticator to weigh in now, no matter how far-seeing the Chief Prognosticator and his staff are thought to be. — Andrea Plater Applebaum, Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: I applaud Councilor Senbrick for his thoughtful approach in calling for a two-year moratorium. There’s no need for us to jump into approving massive data centers just because other places are. Let’s do a careful review and then decide the best path to take. — Phillip Tiler Pierson, South Bricklyn, VT.
➤ Note from the Editor: We have invited Professor Emerita Lisa Plater Larsen to provide her thoughts on the data center moratorium resolution soon to be considered by the Bricklyn Federal Council. See our prior reporting on the proposed resolution.
December 1, 2025 by Lisa Plater Larsen
Credit: Ann Tiler Anderson, with help from GPT-4o AI.
Lisa Plater Larsen is Professor Emerita of Political Science at Bricklyn University.
She is the author of Does Bricklyn Still Need a Mayor-King? (2025) and The Role of the League of Inland Cities in Shaping Trade Policy (2022). Both books are available from The Bricklyn University Press.
The Bricklyn Federal Council has been asked to enact a two-year moratorium on the approval of any new data center. Does such a pause make sense? — or is it simply a tactic being used by those who stand in the way of economic development or fear the spread of artificial intelligence technology?
Data centers present both opportunities and challenges for Bricklyn. They could meet the growing needs and opportunities of our realm’s businesses, with resulting economic benefits. Yet they would also need copious amounts of energy to operate (with resulting environmental impacts), as well as large tracts of land for the massive structures they require. Data centers have the potential to alter the character of our neighborhoods, as well as our treasured open spaces.
The Google Data Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in aerial photo taken on Feb. 18, 2017. The facility has since been expanded and is over 2.9 million square feet in size. It is staffed by 130 employees. Creative CommonsAttribution 2.0 Generic license
Data centers have also undergone changes in recent years, becoming larger and more focused on handling the boom in demand for artificial intelligence. As Microsoft has recently noted, “we have introduced a wave of purpose-built data centers and infrastructure investments we are making around the world to support the global adoption of cutting-edge AI workloads and cloud services.” See the photo below from the Microsoft post just linked to.
Photo of Waylon J. Smithers (left) and C. Montgomery Burns (right) in control room of Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Along with David Plater Broffman, CEO of Dunk Them Donuts, they reached a secret agreement with Bricklyn Mayor-King Spiro Brickburger to construct a nuclear power plant in Bricklyn. Photo obtained by The Bricklyn Eagle; and developed with assistance of Dall E-3 AI.
The surfacing last year of a “secret” 2019 nuclear agreement — a document that tied the relocation of the Simpson family and friends to the construction of Bricklyn’s first nuclear power plant at the Fairgrounds and Riverside Park — has also understandably left many Bricklynites shaken — not simply because the plant would have been located along a valued recreational stretch of the Brickooski River, but because so few in Bricklyn knew such a commitment had ever been made.
When government action touches our community in such a significant way, transparency is not optional, it is essential.
It is against this backdrop that the debate here in Bricklyn over a temporary moratorium on large-scale data center development has emerged. Though the two issues — nuclear power plants and data centers — differ in substance, they share a common thread: the need for thoughtful, fact-based policies that will better guide and inform decision-making.
A moratorium is not, as some suggest, a declaration of hostility toward the business community or toward progress. It is a pause — a civic deep breath you might call it — that will give the Federal Council the time to consider fundamental questions such as:
What energy sources and infrastructure would be required to support data centers, and who would pay for it?
What performance standards would best ensure that a new data center does not have adverse impacts on the environment or on nearby neighborhoods?
How would data centers relate to the realm’s long-term goals for the use of industrial parcels?
Would it be desirable, or even possible, to co-locate a new data center with a new nuclear power plant?
… and perhaps the most challenging question:
ChatGPT’s offices in Bricklyn. Photo by Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
Do we desire to impose any limitations on the use of artificial intelligence technologies — and what impacts would such limitations have?
A short-term moratorium can provide us with the opportunity to focus on these and other questions, and allow the Federal Council to develop policies based on sound information and input from all interested Bricklynites.
Yes, a moratorium will result in delay. But it will be a pause that gives us the chance to refresh how we deal with controversial new technologies — foremost among them artificial intelligence — before making commitments we may long regret. ✥
To the Editor: Hello, Walt — couldn’t agree more that important questions need to be investigated and answered before the building of a gynormous modern day power plant. I grew up in a place and lived as a young adult in a place filled with chemical and other factories. One day, the stench was so bad that we called the plant most likely to be the culprit and asked what the hell were they making there. Rates of cancer in industrial hubs were unacceptably high.
Yes, jobs did disappear as many factories went elsewhere, but I don’t think government made much of an effort to be of service. So …. go slow with these modern day power monoliths and study the impact they will have on humans, the environment, sound levels, etc. As detailed in the article, questions about impact abound and must be explored as well as others that may arise as the studies continue. — Pat D., Burlington, VT.
To the Editor: Professor Larsen appears to want to leave Bricklyn in the dust, falling far behind other Inland communities in advancing artificial intelligence. Given the pace of developments with this technology, a delay of two years while Bricklyn officials try to sort things out is really the equivalent of what two decades used to be. Let’s get a data center built and then learn as we go. — Kevin B. Campbell, Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: I have a message for Bricklyn elected officials that many Bricklynites share: WE DON’T WANT A GIANT DATA CENTER AND WE DON’T WANT ANY MORE AI !! — Ellen B. Richardson, Bricklyn Jct., VT.
To the Editor: Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are going to have a profound and transformative impact on our country and the entire world. The question is not whether these technologies will advance. They will. The question is: Who will control this technology? Who will benefit from it? And who will be left behind?
Let me be clear: If we do not act, AI, automation and robotics could be devastating for the working class. Last month, I released a report showing that these technologies could replace nearly 100 million jobs in America over the next decade . …
Here is the bottom line: AI and robotics are revolutionary and transformative technologies. They must benefit all of us, not just a handful of billionaires. We do not simply need a more “efficient” society — we need a more just, humane and democratic society where people live healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives. — U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Burlington, VT. — Above comments excerpted from email received by Outland Liaison to Bricklyn, Wayne Senville, from Senator Sanders.
by Mark Tiler Richmond, Politics & Law Reporter and Paul B. Macro, Business & Economics Reporter
The simmering debate over new data centers in Bricklyn heated up this week when Bob Senbrick, a senior member of the Bricklyn Federal Council, announced that at the December 15th Council meeting he will introduce a resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on the construction of any new data centers within the Realm of Bricklyn.
Senbrick’s resolution cites concerns about “highly energy-intensive facilities capable of placing substantial and sustained demands on electric transmission and distribution systems,” and urges the Realm to conduct a comprehensive study before permitting new facilities.
Federal Council member Bob Senbrick. Credit: Bricklyn Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assist from Dall E3 AI.
“Why a Two-Year Pause?” — Councilor Senbrick Responds
Reached in his office, Senbrick explained his reasoning: “Data centers are arriving much faster than our transmission upgrades, our water resource planning, and our municipal regulations. A two-year pause will give us the time we need to do this right, with sound planning.”
When asked whether the resolution was anti-technology, Senbrick replied: “I’m not anti-technology, and I’m not against innovation. What’s more, the resolution does not seek to block the use of artificial intelligence. What the resolution does aim to do is ensure that our digital infrastructure remain strong, sustainable, and powered responsibly. If we don’t set clear standards now — on energy consumption, cooling methods, noise, and sensible siting of these huge data centers — we risk long-term problems that can’t easily be undone.
Screenshot from KCUR web site.
“We won’t be the first community to adopt a moratorium on the permitting of data centers,” Senbrick added, noting that “it’s a step that several U.S. cities and counties have taken, including St. Charles, Missouri, LaGrange, Georgia, and Johnson County, Iowa, among others.”
Bricklyn Business Community Raises Red Flags
The Bricklyn Eagle spoke with Tom Brickorti, Director of the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce, who expressed concern over the proposed moratorium.
Tom Brickorti. From Bricklyn Eagle archives.
“We appreciate Bob Senbrick’s long-time role on the Federal Council, but the message he’ll be sending to the business community with this moratorium will have a chilling impact on economic growth and on our reputation as a place where businesses can thrive.”
Brickorti added that “businesses want predictability, not uncertainty — and uncertainty is exactly what adoption of this resolution will create.”
While Brickorti acknowledged that data centers do bring “legitimate infrastructure questions,” he emphasized that “those concerns can be handled through our existing zoning provisions and utility regulation procedures.” What’s more, Brickorti noted, “a new data center will likely generate as many as 90 permanent jobs, not to mention many more to construct the facility.”
Dunk Them Donuts Reinforces Chamber of Commerce Warnings
David Tiler Broffman. Credit: Bricklyn Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assist from Dall E3 AI.
David Tiler Broffman, CEO of Dunk Them Donuts, Bricklyn’s largest private employer, added his voice to those opposing the data center moratorium:
“This moratorium could seriously undermine expansion plans our company has been actively considering. Without state-of-the-art data infrastructure, Dunk Them Donuts and other Bricklyn businesses will be operating at a significant competitive disadvantage. “
Broffman continued: “As everyone knows, Dunk Them Donuts has deep roots in Bricklyn. But — and I hate to say this — if we can’t operate efficiently here, we may be forced to grow our business in another Inland realm. I hope policymakers understand what’s at stake.”
Jenny Brickdeur with her dog Suzi in the South Bricklyn highlands, near the Vermont border. Credit: Bricklyn Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assist from Dall E3 AI.
Environmental Leader Backs Proposal
The Bricklyn Eagle also spoke with Jenny Brickdeur, Director of the Bricklyn Environmental Alliance (BEA), who offered strong support for Senbrick’s resolution. She told us that “BEA’s more than 300 members — who include many small business owners — have deep concerns about the possible construction of data centers in Bricklyn.”
“Data centers are are not harmless little computer buildings,” Brickdeur said, noting that “they generate massive energy needs out-of-scale with anything we’ve previously dealt with in Bricklyn.
This GPT-4o AI generated rendering shows possible co-location of a data center and a nuclear power plant along the Brickooski River. Will structures like these be built in Bricklyn?
“Through their huge energy consumption,” she added, “they often trigger the need for major new energy supply sources, including nuclear generating plants. The U.S. Department of Energy has said that ‘nuclear has the potential to be a great partner for the data centers of today and tomorrow.’ … ” Does that mean we’ll also need to build a nuclear power plant in Bricklyn? Right now, we simply don’t know.
“In the absence of careful planning,” noted Brickdeur, “a new data center in Bricklyn might well jeopardize our realm’s efforts to develop a sustainable energy future.”
Brickdeur continued: “before we allow any of these facilities in Bricklyn, we need to have in place standards to ensure they are as energy efficient as possible, so we don’t end up — though their demands on Bricklyn Power & Light for capacity upgrades — sharply increasing the energy costs passed along to ratepayers, including small businesses and residents.
“In Outland communities,” she noted, “these concerns have been growing.” She shared a recent example from Maryland.
Asked about the fear raised by several business leaders that the moratorium will stifle economic growth, Brickdeur responded by saying that: “This isn’t about shutting down growth. It’s about making sure that if a data center is built, it doesn’t undermine Bricklyn’s commitment to a sustainable energy future, one of the real keys to having a strong economy.”
Next Up:
Councilor Bob Senbrick plans to introduce Resolution No. 25-73, which calls for a two-year moratorium on the construction of any new data center in Bricklyn, at the Federal Council’s December 15th meeting. Observers expect the meeting to kick off a spirited debate. ✥
To the Editor: While I appreciate Councilor Senbrick’s effort to have a moratorium, why can’t we just say NO to the use of artificial intelligence in Bricklyn. We don’t have to be part of this race to the bottom — which is what seems to be happening in the Outland world with a mad dash to incorporate AI into every aspect of life.
Our Federal Council made a smart decision back in 2023 to ban Facebrick from the Realm due to its monopolistic practices and abuse of privacy. We should simply ban the use of AI — we’ve done quite well till recently without it. No need to spend two years searching for a solution. Let’s just call for our Federal Council to end the use of AI in in Bricklyn — and we can all then dunk a Dunk Them Donut to celebrate! — Penelope B. Landers, Bricklyn Jct., VT
Reply from the Editor: Just want to quickly note that The Bricklyn Eagle for several years has used AI to assist with preparing photos and other graphics, and also as a research tool when our reporters and correspondents prepare articles for publication.
To the Editor: As is too often the case in our Realm, delay seems to be the watchword whenever something new and exciting is proposed. We’re already benefitting from AI, and there will be even greater benefits as data centers ramp up in size. Will AI take over the world and end both humanity and LEGO-based peoples like us? From what I’ve read, there’s probably no more than a 10 percent chance of that happening. The odds are in our favor! — Bruce B. Berenson, Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: I thought a two-year moratorium would be too long to be legal. Can you tell me if I’m right? — Sarah B. Drinkwine, Bricklyn, VT.
Reply from the Editor: Good question. We’ll ask Mark Tiler Richmond, who shared the byline on the article you just read, to address your question when he next reports on the moratorium debate.
To the Editor: What’s this AI really all about? The way I see it, AI’s only going to cost all of us a s**t load of money. The billionaire class is aiming to drug us with AI so we just sit at home all day twiddling our thumbs while watching AI-generated videos. That’s not what I signed up for. — Thomas B. Doomer, South Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: Your article quotes the head of the Chamber of Commerce touting 90 permanent jobs likely to be created by a new data center. He should know that those 90 jobs are peanuts compared to the number of jobs that will likely be lost due to the spread of artificial intelligence and robotics. — Angela Tiler Agard, Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: We definitely need this moratorium. But I do have one suggestion. I looked online, but did not see the Realm of Bricklyn listed as a signatory on the Center for AI Safety’s Statement on AI Risk? Here’s their simple and straightforward statement: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” Yes, “extinction.” Council member Senbrick, in his Resolution, should also call on the Realm of Bricklyn to endorse this statement and join its group of signatories from around the globe. — Cy Westbrick, Bricklyn Jct., VT.
