Opponents of a Sioux Falls data center squeezed every last minute they could into collecting signatures before a 5 p.m. deadline to refer a zoning change to voters. Amanda Kendall and Samantha Scarlata, the co-founders of Let Sioux Falls Vote, waited at the City Clerk’s Office as the deadline neared. Indeed, some of the winter’s coldest weather so far had descended on Sioux Falls during the January window that Let Sioux Falls Vote collected signatures. But driven by fears that hyperscale data centers could drive up energy costs and water usage – as well as support artificial intelligence and the unknowns accompanying AI – Let Sioux Falls Vote launched its petition drive. Patrick Lalley of Sioux Falls Live contributed to this story, which was originally published on TheDakotaScout.com.