The tide has turned in the debate over data centers across America. A new report from Data Center Watch reveals that local opposition to these massive facilities is on the rise, with a sharp escalation of protests and blockages in the second quarter of this year.
According to the report, $98 billion worth of data center projects were blocked or delayed between March and June 2025 alone, with eight projects being outright blocked and nine others put on hold. This represents a significant increase from the previous period, which saw $64 billion worth of projects blocked or delayed.
The shift in public sentiment is attributed to growing concerns about the environmental impact and economic burden of data centers. Residents have long complained about rate hikes imposed by state regulators, who oversee the industry. However, during this year's elections, affordability was a major issue, with many voters expressing concern about how data centers would affect their electricity bills.
The report also highlights bipartisan opposition to data centers, with some national Republican politicians speaking out against them. Josh Thomas, a Democrat in Virginia, credits his constituents' pushback for his own election victory. He points to the local resistance against the proposed Prince William Digital Gateway, which would put over 30 data centers on the edge of a national reserve.
Josh Hubbard, another Democratic candidate who won his seat in Georgia's Public Service Commission, echoes Thomas' sentiments. Hubbard notes that affordability was a major issue for him and many of his constituents during the campaign.
While some industry groups argue that data centers provide significant economic benefits, including jobs and tax revenue, the report highlights concerns about their environmental impact and lack of transparency. The Data Center Coalition has promised to engage with communities and be responsible neighbors, but critics say more needs to be done to address growing public opposition.
The debate over data centers is far from over, and it remains to be seen whether industry groups can adapt to changing public sentiment or if the tide will continue to turn against these massive facilities.
According to the report, $98 billion worth of data center projects were blocked or delayed between March and June 2025 alone, with eight projects being outright blocked and nine others put on hold. This represents a significant increase from the previous period, which saw $64 billion worth of projects blocked or delayed.
The shift in public sentiment is attributed to growing concerns about the environmental impact and economic burden of data centers. Residents have long complained about rate hikes imposed by state regulators, who oversee the industry. However, during this year's elections, affordability was a major issue, with many voters expressing concern about how data centers would affect their electricity bills.
The report also highlights bipartisan opposition to data centers, with some national Republican politicians speaking out against them. Josh Thomas, a Democrat in Virginia, credits his constituents' pushback for his own election victory. He points to the local resistance against the proposed Prince William Digital Gateway, which would put over 30 data centers on the edge of a national reserve.
Josh Hubbard, another Democratic candidate who won his seat in Georgia's Public Service Commission, echoes Thomas' sentiments. Hubbard notes that affordability was a major issue for him and many of his constituents during the campaign.
While some industry groups argue that data centers provide significant economic benefits, including jobs and tax revenue, the report highlights concerns about their environmental impact and lack of transparency. The Data Center Coalition has promised to engage with communities and be responsible neighbors, but critics say more needs to be done to address growing public opposition.
The debate over data centers is far from over, and it remains to be seen whether industry groups can adapt to changing public sentiment or if the tide will continue to turn against these massive facilities.
. I mean, data centers might bring some economic benefits but at what cost? The price of electricity is already getting outta control - can you imagine if it kept going up because of all these massive facilities? It's like the saying goes "you can't have your cake and eat it too" 
. We gotta make sure we're being responsible neighbors and not just thinking about our bottom line 
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! It's about time we started thinking more critically about the impact these massive facilities have on our environment and wallets 
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. It's all about being responsible neighbors and ensuring these data centers don't come at the expense of our communities 
. The industry has a lot to answer for, too - more transparency and accountability would be a huge step in the right direction 
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. We can't just ignore the elephant in the room (or in this case, the data center!) 
. It'll be interesting to see how industry groups respond to this growing public sentiment 
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! The prices are already going through the roof and people are getting super upset about it 
️. It's not just about jobs and tax revenue, it's also about being responsible citizens of the planet 
. $98 billion worth of projects blocked or delayed is no joke, and I think it's about time someone spoke out against these massive energy suckers. The whole 'jobs and tax revenue' thing just doesn't cut it when you're putting a strain on local grids and contributing to climate change 
. And what's with the lack of transparency? It's not like data centers are operating in a vacuum, they're actually affecting people's lives and wallets directly 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out 
, and we saw a squirrel trying to steal food from a picnicker. It was like it had a ninja strategy or something - darting between the backpacks and snatching bits of sandwich. Anyway, back to data centers... have you ever thought about how weird it is that our electricity prices are tied to the whims of giant server farms? Like, what if they all just decided to move to Australia tomorrow? Would our bills magically drop or something? 
$98 billion blocked or delayed in 2 quarters? That's insane! 
The industry groups need to step up their game and show some transparency, but at this rate, I'm not holding my breath. 
Maybe Josh Thomas and Josh Hubbard are onto something with the community engagement thing, we do need more accountability from these massive corporations.
. want to see some hard evidence before I'm convinced this is more than just a PR stunt 
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