The Hidden Cost of Data Centers: Inside the Opposition
State regulators will spend the year setting electricity, water and land-use standards for hyperscale projects.
- On July 14, New York Governor Kathy Hochul enacted a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, giving state regulators time to establish standards for electricity, water, and land use.
- Hochul implemented the pause to limit the effect these "gigantic eyesores" have on infrastructure, as data centers currently account for 5.9% of U.S. electricity consumption, a figure expected to surge by 2035.
- A June poll found at least 70% of Americans oppose data centers near their homes, while larger facilities consume 5 million gallons of water daily, intensifying competition for limited supplies.
- President Donald Trump criticized the law on Truth Social, calling it a "terrible mistake" and claiming data centers are "Driving Forces in the Future for Jobs."
- Similar restrictions are under consideration in 18 states, while lawmakers have proposed the federal AI Data Center Moratorium Act to establish national safeguards protecting communities and utilities.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Before you say 'no' to a data center, here's what you're giving up
Data centers are quickly becoming the drivers of key economic sectors, and in some cases, they are making up more than half the market.Depending on the source, the U.S. already has somewhere between 1,200 and 4,600 data centers, and with many more in the pipeline, they will continue to bring good tidings to their surrounding areas.'So much investment is financed by the free cash flow of hyperscalers.'The question remains as to whether or not the…
A Good Faith Guide to Data Centers
In the crowded and chaotic daily news cycle, with various stories competing for our attention, the subject of data centers has been humming in the background for some time. Though it only occasionally breaks into the national news during brief windows of time between bombs falling on Iran, ICE killing another human, or the latest revelation of corruption from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it is among the top concerns for millions of Americans living…
Data center ban: Did New York make the right call?
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul understands what her constituents want, said Sara Pequeño in USA Today. The Democrat recently imposed a one-year moratorium on the construction of large AI data centers, giving state regulators breathing space to write new rules intended to limit the effect these “gigantic eyesores” have on power grids, water supplies, and local communities. It’s the “right move—and a politically savvy one.” While many lawmakers suppor…
The Cost of Not Building Data Centers
In July, New York became the first state to enact a moratorium on new data centers, a path that other states may follow. But US policymakers, drawing lessons from past failures to make economy-wide investments in electrification and rare-earth processing, should weigh the strategic costs of not building essential infrastructure.
The hidden cost of data centers: inside the opposition
For a nation so utterly divided in its politics, there’s one issue bringing Americans together: A mistrust of data centers. Data centers are facilities filled with computers and networking equipment that keep the internet, cloud services, apps and AI running. More than 4,500 data centers are already in operation, according to Data Center Map, a site that tracks data centers in the U.S. Dozens of those centers are massive, AI-driven facilities kn…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 72% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
