This is Episode 1 of Inside the Box, Brad Hochgesang’s source-linked series about issues shaping Indiana Senate District 48.

The first episode examines how data center projects can move behind nondisclosure agreements before the public learns their names, water demands, power needs, tax arrangements, or long-term costs. It follows examples from New Carlisle, Morgan County, Posey County, Pike County, and Dubois County.

Episode 1 chapters

• 0:00 — A cornfield in New Carlisle
• 0:53 — Code name Razor5
• 1:35 — Dry wells and no more stars
• 2:15 — Seven of forty-six projects
• 2:44 — Morgan County gets Google
• 2:59 — Posey County signs an NDA
• 3:09 — Pike County asks questions
• 3:27 — Crossvine batteries in Dubois County
• 4:17 — Who gets to be in the room
• 5:08 — A tax break that can last fifty years
• 5:42 — Senate Enrolled Act 1
• 6:13 — Senate Bill 424 and House Bill 1104
• 6:59 — It does not have to work this way
• 8:07 — Who are they representing?
• 8:49 — The last word
• 9:06 — Bonus: how this was made

Episode 1 sources and credits

These are the source links published with Episode 1 on Facebook and in the campaign channel’s YouTube comment.

• Indiana Public Radio: https://indianapublicradio.org/news/2024/04/amazon-company-behind-11-billion-st-joseph-county-project-gov-holcomb-announces/
• New York Times (reprint): https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/13/at-amazons-biggest-data-center-everything-is-super/
• Arnolt Center, Indiana University: https://arnoltcenter.org/work/companies-seek-to-hide-indiana-data-center-details-with-ndas/
• WNDU: https://www.wndu.com/2024/03/13/new-carlisle-residents-upset-after-sjc-council-rezones-640-acres-land-industrial-use/
• Indiana Public Access Counselor: https://secure.in.gov/pac/files/advisory/25-FC-00B-AO.pdf
• WVPE: https://www.wvpe.org/wvpe-news/2025-05-29/state-investigates-nearby-well-failures-as-amazon-gm-build
• Notre Dame journalism: https://journalism.nd.edu/news/data-dominion/
• InkFreeNews: https://www.inkfreenews.com/2026/08/14/power-needs-pollution-local-politics-collide-at-amazon-data-center/
• Indiana Daily Student: https://specials.idsnews.com/data-center-morgan-county-indiana-billion-dollar/
• Indiana Public Media: https://www.ipm.org/news/2026-09-21/how-ndas-are-hiding-data-center-details-from-the-public
• 14 News: https://www.14news.com/2026/07/21/amidst-data-center-concerns-posey-co-commissioners-reveal-theyve-signed-an-nda/
• WNIN: https://news.wnin.org/2026-07-22/posey-commissioners-sign-nda-with-data-center-developer
• Press-Dispatch: https://www.suncommercial.com/press_dispatch/community/article_d9970b00-fc1d-599c-9b98-810fcd2d919a.html
• 14 News: https://www.14news.com/2026/06/14/pike-co-residents-concerned-about-potential-data-centers/
• AES Corporation: https://www.aes.com/sustainability-impact/people-communities/projects/crossvine-solar-project
• Dubois County Free Press: https://duboiscountyfreepress.com/residents-officials-concerned-about-aes-battery-storage-system/
• Public Policy Polling (commissioned by Brad): https://duboiscountyfreepress.com/jasper-councilmembers-announce-opposition-to-mid-states-corridor-in-light-of-new-poll/
• Dubois County Commissioners: https://cms7files1.revize.com/dubois/Comm%20Mtg%201-5-2026.pdf
• ABC7 Los Angeles: https://abc7.com/post/fire-erupts-water-treatment-plant-la-verne-nearby-school-shelter-place-order/19858677/
• Indiana Capital Chronicle: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/dubois-county-councilman-wins-caucus-for-senate-seat/
• The White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/accelerating-federal-permitting-of-data-center-infrastructure/
• State fiscal note: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/house/bills/HB1601/fiscal-notes/HB1601.02.COMH.FN003.pdf
• Senate roll call: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/house/bills/HB1601/rollcalls/HB1601.342_S.pdf
• State fiscal note: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/senate/bills/SB0001/fiscal-notes/SB0001.04.ENGH.FN002.pdf
• Senate roll call: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/senate/bills/SB0001/rollcalls/SB0001.417_S.pdf
• Senate roll call: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/house/bills/HB1601/rollcalls/HB1601.446_S.pdf
• Indiana Capital Chronicle: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/04/15/indiana-senate-sends-finalized-local-property-income-tax-plan-to-governor/
• Senate floor video (choose Senate Chamber, Feb. 26; at 1:06:48): https://iga.in.gov/session/2026/video/senate
• Senate Bill 424 roll call: https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/senate/bills/SB0424/rollcalls/SB0424.61_S.pdf
• LegiScan, House Bill 1104 (2026): https://legiscan.com/IN/bill/HB1104/2026
• Dubois County Free Press: https://duboiscountyfreepress.com/state-legislators-take-questions-rundown-legislative-priorities-for-this-session/
• Indiana Capital Chronicle: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/indot-scraps-link-101-road-project/
• 14 News: https://www.14news.com/2026/08/04/posey-co-commissioners-vote-no-proposed-data-center-near-boberg-hoenert-rd/
• WVPE: https://www.wvpe.org/wvpe-news/2026-09-16/mueller-says-data-center-nda-ban-more-symbolic-than-practical
• ABC57: https://www.abc57.com/news/executive-order-prohibits-city-staff-to-sign-data-center-related-ndas-following-amazon-wastewater-concerns

Related reading on this site

Data centers, public notice, and local decision-making

More Inside the Box

See every episode and planned release, or explore Episode 2 on the Mid-States Corridor.

Paid for by Citizens for Hochgesang.