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$68 Billion in Data Center Projects Blocked or Delayed in 3 Month Period

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Researchers have revealed that 45 data center projects worth $68 billion were blocked or delayed by local pushback across the United States between April and June.

Bloomberg reports that the projects, tracked by Data Center Watch, a project of the AI intelligence company 10a Labs, made up more than half of all new large-scale developments the group monitored during that period. Data Center Watch’s lead analyst, Miquel Vila, said opposition to the industry is broadening. “New groups continue to emerge, opposition is appearing across a wide range of states and jurisdictions, and online petition signatures continue to grow,” he said.

The numbers back that up. Data Center Watch counted 843 opposition groups spread across 49 states; Hawaii is the only state without one. About 30 statehouses have introduced or adopted rules covering data center siting, electricity use or water consumption. In Tennessee, a petition against a single data center project drew more than 500,000 signatures on Change.org, more than a third of all signatures collected on the platform that quarter, according to Data Center Watch. (Read more from “$68 Billion in Data Center Projects Blocked or Delayed in 3 Month Period” HERE)

Local Mom Dragged Into Court For Trying To Expose Underhanded Data Center Deals

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An Arkansas mom and healthcare worker obtained a trove of documents about a data center deal between a local energy company and Google. Now, she is caught in a legal fight between the energy company and the news outlet she shared the documents with, with video surfacing of her being dragged into federal court Tuesday, weeping and scared.

Jessica Kivell recently sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Arkansas Public Service Commission, which regulates state electricity prices, regarding a data center deal between Entergy Arkansas and Google, according to the Arkansas Times. The government appeared to have mistakenly handed Kivell the documents, which she then sent to a reporter at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The documents purportedly revealed that Google will not be paying the entire cost of infrastructure upgrades needed to power a new data center in West Memphis, despite claims to the contrary, according to the Arkansas Times. Google will only pay a third of the cost, $526 million, of a new solar array required to power the data center, the outlet reported.

Entergy sent attorneys and officials to a federal courthouse Tuesday to prevent the documents and information from remaining public, according to the Arkansas Times. The company sued the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and requested a restraining order on Kivell, arguing the documents contained trade secrets, the publication of which might violate state and federal laws.

Kivell was “visibly scared” when she arrived in court in her work scrubs after she arranged for her husband to pick up their daughter, according to the Arkansas Times, which was also listed in Entergy’s restraining order request. Throughout a closed-door portion of the hearing, Kivell wept loudly and continued to sob when she returned to the courtroom, the Arkansas Times reported. (Read more from “Local Mom Dragged Into Court For Trying To Expose Underhanded Data Center Deals” HERE)

Data Center Backlash Brings Thousands Of Projects To A Screeching Halt

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Americans’ growing opposition to the prevalence of data centers has led many politicians to limit or pause their increase altogether.

Lawmakers in New York and Texas, for example, have effected stoppages of data center projects, while other states, such as Pennsylvania, have issued more restrictions on data center construction. Americans’ support for data centers has generally plummeted, as critics have linked them to higher utility bills — reflecting extraordinary water and energy usage — being experienced by local communities.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued a sprawling data center moratorium in early August as residents soured on data centers. Abbott claimed his moratorium would protect Texans.

“My directive has halted up to 1,800 data center projects. I established guidelines & guardrails to protect Texas communities,” he wrote in a Wednesday post to social media, adding that data centers must not take water from communities, tax the Texas energy grid, or otherwise disrupt communities.

Abbott’s moratorium drew a range of responses from the private and public sectors.

“What Governor Abbott is doing is working. The Governor established clear guidelines: Data centers must invest their own money, provide their own power, reuse their own water, ensure that the power grid is gaining power— not losing power because of their operations — and must not disturb neighborhoods,” Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s press secretary, told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement. “Data centers across the state have announced their full compliance with those standards, which provide guardrails that protect our communities.” (Read more from “Data Center Backlash Brings Thousands Of Projects To A Screeching Halt” HERE)

Over 500 Jurisdictions Ban Data Center Construction, Threatening US’ Pole Position in AI Race

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Over 500 jurisdictions across the US are slamming the brakes on construction of massive data centers, threatening the US’ position in the AI race against countries like China.

More than 150 localities passed bans last month alone, as tech giants and developers face a tsunami of opposition from local Luddites, news site The Information found.

Over the summer, activists protested from Fredericksburg, Va., to Tyler, Texas, and beyond to voice their opposition to planned data centers. They cited concerns like the environmental impact and energy consumption of the gargantuan sites.

“There’s a pretty strong sense that local people want to oppose these and part of it is the tech bros are forcing AI on us,” Paul Triolo, a partner at consulting firm DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group, told The Post. . .

The backlash is not confined to the local level, and two states have pushed back against data center growth. New York Gov. Hochul, a Dem, enacted a one-year moratorium on new data centers. Texas is taking a less strict approach, with Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, implementing a pause so state agencies can audit projects. There is no end date for the hiatus. (Read more from “Over 500 Jurisdictions Ban Data Center Construction, Threatening US’ Pole Position in AI Race” HERE)

American Farmers Waving Red Flags over Data Centers, Water Usage

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About 30 miles from Clint McRae’s southeastern Montana ranch, a local utility company bought roughly 6,000 acres of cattle grazing land.

After scouring job postings online and talking with local ranchers, he’s deduced that the land might soon be transformed into one of the many large-scale data centers moving into Montana over the past year.

McRae’s primary concern is water. It is essential for cattlemen in the western plains who have for years been shrinking their cattle herds in response to droughts.

The local water supply will have to keep flowing to the new data center projects, rather than to ranchers who need it to keep the pasture healthy and calves hydrated, according to McRae. Montana’s cattle herd could experience a more permanent decline as a result, he said.

“If we have a dry year like we’re having now, who’s going to cut back?” McRae, a fourth-generation rancher, said. “It’s going to be agriculture.” (Read more from “American Farmers Waving Red Flags over Data Centers, Water Usage” HERE)