What This Map Actually Shows

What does the recently shared map actually show?

This map has recently been circulating that identifies parcels of land in Cass County. We wanted to provide some context to help distinguish what is currently known from what has not been officially proposed.

The map appears to correctly identify some of the parcels on which Tenaska has obtained purchase options. However, at this time there is no official proposal for a Google data center—or a data center by any other company—in Cass County.

This idea comes from a recent article from the Flatwater Free Press. The Flatwater Free Press’s reporting was based upon documents of a private meeting about a proposed project. There are no official proposals or requests for a data center in Cass County at this time.

*The Flatwater Free Press was reporting on proposed projects to a public utility. At this time, there are no formal proposals in front of Cass County.

Based on publicly available information, Tenaska has obtained options on certain properties with the intent of potentially using the framework established by LB 1261 to develop a privately owned natural gas power plant in partnership with a private industrial customer. While large industrial users, such as data centers, have been discussed publicly as examples of potential customers under LB 1261, no specific industrial partner has been officially announced.

It is also important to note that there are currently no formal data center development proposals before the Cass County Board of Commissioners or the Cass County Planning Commission.

The zoning amendments currently being considered by the Planning Commission are not tied to a specific data center proposal. Instead, they are intended to update the county's zoning regulations in advance of potential future development requests. In other words, the county is discussing what the rules should be before any formal proposal is submitted, rather than in response to a project that is currently under review.

Updating zoning regulations in anticipation of future growth is a common planning practice. It does not, by itself, indicate that a specific project has been approved or formally proposed.

If you're looking for additional context, we encourage you to read our previous posts explaining LB 1261, Tenaska, and how the proposed power plant differs from Lincoln Water 2.0. Our goal is to provide factual information from public records and verified sources so residents of Cass County can make informed decisions based on confirmed information rather than speculation.

As always, if new information becomes publicly available or official applications are submitted, we'll share those updates and clearly distinguish between confirmed facts, proposals, and speculation