#aidatacenters — Public Fediverse posts

Great! Legitimate criticism of #AI or #energy use in AI #datacenters is now "treason." Also #bigdaddy will apparently "protect" us. Fun.

Fuck that noise.

#LLMs #aiDataCenters #regulatorycapture #techindustry

#EPA Expected to Erase Limits on Climate #Pollution From Power Plants

Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.

By Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, Sept. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "The #Trump administration plans to announce Monday that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

"The shift by the Environmental Protection Agency would complete the administration’s erasure of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Barack Obama. If the move survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. [FASCISM!!!]

"The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the United States. This pollution accumulates in the atmosphere, where it traps the sun’s heat, raising temperatures and supercharging extreme weather events around the globe. Scientists say the United States and other industrialized nations must sharply cut emissions to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

" #LeeZeldin , the E.P.A. administrator, is expected to announce the change during a meeting of energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations in Houston, according to the two people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to describe the proposal before it is made public.

"Representatives for the E.P.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday evening.

" #Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.

" 'This is another nail in the coffin for this administration’s commitment to protecting people and tackling the climate crisis,' said Manish Bapna, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The E.P.A., he said, 'is ending its legal and moral responsibility to end #ClimatePollution. '

"[Idiot-in-chief] President Trump has derided climate change as a 'hoax,' and in his second term, the E.P.A. has systematically dismantled policies aimed at slowing global warming that have been criticized as costly by #oil, #gas and #coal companies. The administration has tried to make it easier and cheaper to produce and use fossil fuels, especially to generate electricity that can meet growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/climate/epa-power-plant-climate-rules.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/9eoDk

#EPA = #EvilPollutersAlliance !
#USPol #TrumpSucks #EPAFail #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeIsReal #BigOilKnew #BigOilAndGas #CorporateFascism #CorporatePolluters #ClimateDenial #CorporateColonialism #GreenhouseGas #Datacenters #MakePollutersPay #AIDatacenters #AI #RenewablesNow #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#EPA Expected to Erase Limits on Climate #Pollution From Power Plants

Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.

By Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, Sept. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "The #Trump administration plans to announce Monday that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

"The shift by the Environmental Protection Agency would complete the administration’s erasure of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Barack Obama. If the move survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. [FASCISM!!!]

"The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the United States. This pollution accumulates in the atmosphere, where it traps the sun’s heat, raising temperatures and supercharging extreme weather events around the globe. Scientists say the United States and other industrialized nations must sharply cut emissions to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

" #LeeZeldin , the E.P.A. administrator, is expected to announce the change during a meeting of energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations in Houston, according to the two people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to describe the proposal before it is made public.

"Representatives for the E.P.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday evening.

" #Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.

" 'This is another nail in the coffin for this administration’s commitment to protecting people and tackling the climate crisis,' said Manish Bapna, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The E.P.A., he said, 'is ending its legal and moral responsibility to end #ClimatePollution. '

"[Idiot-in-chief] President Trump has derided climate change as a 'hoax,' and in his second term, the E.P.A. has systematically dismantled policies aimed at slowing global warming that have been criticized as costly by #oil, #gas and #coal companies. The administration has tried to make it easier and cheaper to produce and use fossil fuels, especially to generate electricity that can meet growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/climate/epa-power-plant-climate-rules.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/9eoDk

#EPA = #EvilPollutersAlliance !
#USPol #TrumpSucks #EPAFail #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeIsReal #BigOilKnew #BigOilAndGas #CorporateFascism #CorporatePolluters #ClimateDenial #CorporateColonialism #GreenhouseGas #Datacenters #MakePollutersPay #AIDatacenters #AI #RenewablesNow #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#EPA Expected to Erase Limits on Climate #Pollution From Power Plants

Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.

By Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, Sept. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "The #Trump administration plans to announce Monday that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

"The shift by the Environmental Protection Agency would complete the administration’s erasure of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Barack Obama. If the move survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. [FASCISM!!!]

"The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the United States. This pollution accumulates in the atmosphere, where it traps the sun’s heat, raising temperatures and supercharging extreme weather events around the globe. Scientists say the United States and other industrialized nations must sharply cut emissions to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

" #LeeZeldin , the E.P.A. administrator, is expected to announce the change during a meeting of energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations in Houston, according to the two people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to describe the proposal before it is made public.

"Representatives for the E.P.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday evening.

" #Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.

" 'This is another nail in the coffin for this administration’s commitment to protecting people and tackling the climate crisis,' said Manish Bapna, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The E.P.A., he said, 'is ending its legal and moral responsibility to end #ClimatePollution. '

"[Idiot-in-chief] President Trump has derided climate change as a 'hoax,' and in his second term, the E.P.A. has systematically dismantled policies aimed at slowing global warming that have been criticized as costly by #oil, #gas and #coal companies. The administration has tried to make it easier and cheaper to produce and use fossil fuels, especially to generate electricity that can meet growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/climate/epa-power-plant-climate-rules.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/9eoDk

#EPA = #EvilPollutersAlliance !
#USPol #TrumpSucks #EPAFail #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeIsReal #BigOilKnew #BigOilAndGas #CorporateFascism #CorporatePolluters #ClimateDenial #CorporateColonialism #GreenhouseGas #Datacenters #MakePollutersPay #AIDatacenters #AI #RenewablesNow #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#EPA Expected to Erase Limits on Climate #Pollution From Power Plants

Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.

By Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, Sept. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "The #Trump administration plans to announce Monday that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

"The shift by the Environmental Protection Agency would complete the administration’s erasure of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Barack Obama. If the move survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. [FASCISM!!!]

"The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the United States. This pollution accumulates in the atmosphere, where it traps the sun’s heat, raising temperatures and supercharging extreme weather events around the globe. Scientists say the United States and other industrialized nations must sharply cut emissions to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

" #LeeZeldin , the E.P.A. administrator, is expected to announce the change during a meeting of energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations in Houston, according to the two people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to describe the proposal before it is made public.

"Representatives for the E.P.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday evening.

" #Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.

" 'This is another nail in the coffin for this administration’s commitment to protecting people and tackling the climate crisis,' said Manish Bapna, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The E.P.A., he said, 'is ending its legal and moral responsibility to end #ClimatePollution. '

"[Idiot-in-chief] President Trump has derided climate change as a 'hoax,' and in his second term, the E.P.A. has systematically dismantled policies aimed at slowing global warming that have been criticized as costly by #oil, #gas and #coal companies. The administration has tried to make it easier and cheaper to produce and use fossil fuels, especially to generate electricity that can meet growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/climate/epa-power-plant-climate-rules.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/9eoDk

#EPA = #EvilPollutersAlliance !
#USPol #TrumpSucks #EPAFail #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeIsReal #BigOilKnew #BigOilAndGas #CorporateFascism #CorporatePolluters #ClimateDenial #CorporateColonialism #GreenhouseGas #Datacenters #MakePollutersPay #AIDatacenters #AI #RenewablesNow #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#EPA Expected to Erase Limits on Climate #Pollution From Power Plants

Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.

By Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, Sept. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "The #Trump administration plans to announce Monday that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants pump into the air while burning coal and gas, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

"The shift by the Environmental Protection Agency would complete the administration’s erasure of the most consequential climate policies of Presidents Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Barack Obama. If the move survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. [FASCISM!!!]

"The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the United States. This pollution accumulates in the atmosphere, where it traps the sun’s heat, raising temperatures and supercharging extreme weather events around the globe. Scientists say the United States and other industrialized nations must sharply cut emissions to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change.

" #LeeZeldin , the E.P.A. administrator, is expected to announce the change during a meeting of energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations in Houston, according to the two people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to describe the proposal before it is made public.

"Representatives for the E.P.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday evening.

" #Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.

" 'This is another nail in the coffin for this administration’s commitment to protecting people and tackling the climate crisis,' said Manish Bapna, the president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The E.P.A., he said, 'is ending its legal and moral responsibility to end #ClimatePollution. '

"[Idiot-in-chief] President Trump has derided climate change as a 'hoax,' and in his second term, the E.P.A. has systematically dismantled policies aimed at slowing global warming that have been criticized as costly by #oil, #gas and #coal companies. The administration has tried to make it easier and cheaper to produce and use fossil fuels, especially to generate electricity that can meet growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/climate/epa-power-plant-climate-rules.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/9eoDk

#EPA = #EvilPollutersAlliance !
#USPol #TrumpSucks #EPAFail #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeIsReal #BigOilKnew #BigOilAndGas #CorporateFascism #CorporatePolluters #ClimateDenial #CorporateColonialism #GreenhouseGas #Datacenters #MakePollutersPay #AIDatacenters #AI #RenewablesNow #CharacteristicsOfFascism

SK Group’s Big Tech AI data centre cooperation advancing rapidly: Chairman Chey Tae-won

Seoul [South Korea], September 14 (ANI): SK Group’s cooperation with Big Tech companies on artificial intelligence (AI) data…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #SK #900megawatts #AIDataCenters #AmazonWebServices #businessmodels #CheyTae-won #Electrificationsolutions #energycooperation #KoreaHerald #SKGroup #SKInnovation #SouthKorea
https://www.europesays.com/korea/153705/

Bitcoin Miner Shuts Racks for $1.2 Billion AI Deal

Hyperscale Data switched off every bitcoin miner at its Michigan campus on September 1 to make room for an AI colocation contract worth over $1.2 billion.

https://pulseofnations.lol/bitcoin-miner-shuts-racks/

#AiDataCenters #BitcoinMining #Energy #Gpus #Hyperscale #Neocloud

Bitcoin Miner Shuts Racks for $1.2 Billion AI Deal

Hyperscale Data switched off every bitcoin miner at its Michigan campus on September 1 to make room for an AI colocation contract worth over $1.2 billion.

https://pulseofnations.lol/bitcoin-miner-shuts-racks/

#AiDataCenters #BitcoinMining #Energy #Gpus #Hyperscale #Neocloud

Bitcoin Miner Shuts Racks for $1.2 Billion AI Deal

Hyperscale Data switched off every bitcoin miner at its Michigan campus on September 1 to make room for an AI colocation contract worth over $1.2 billion.

https://pulseofnations.lol/bitcoin-miner-shuts-racks/

#AiDataCenters #BitcoinMining #Energy #Gpus #Hyperscale #Neocloud

Bitcoin Miner Shuts Racks for $1.2 Billion AI Deal

Hyperscale Data switched off every bitcoin miner at its Michigan campus on September 1 to make room for an AI colocation contract worth over $1.2 billion.

https://pulseofnations.lol/bitcoin-miner-shuts-racks/

#AiDataCenters #BitcoinMining #Energy #Gpus #Hyperscale #Neocloud

Bitcoin Miner Shuts Racks for $1.2 Billion AI Deal

Hyperscale Data switched off every bitcoin miner at its Michigan campus on September 1 to make room for an AI colocation contract worth over $1.2 billion.

https://pulseofnations.lol/bitcoin-miner-shuts-racks/

#AiDataCenters #BitcoinMining #Energy #Gpus #Hyperscale #Neocloud

The Great Memory Robbery

https://bolesblogs.com/2026/09/11/the-great-memory-robbery/

Sounds about right... A fitting metaphor!

#DataCenter Caught Watering Its Lavish Lawn While Human Neighbors Are on Year-Long Water Restriction

"You better believe that they are watering their entire green with so many sprinklers that it's literally making a giant pond."

By Joe Wilkins
Published Sep 7, 2026

"When the #DenverCO board of Water Commissioners approved stage one #drought restrictions back in March, they did so facing some of the driest conditions in decades. According to the #USDrough Monitor, the watershed sourced for Denver’s water utility is experiencing a 'severe to exceptional drought,' while the Denver metropolitan area has been in a “severe drought.”

"As a result, residents and businesses have been asked to scale back. Denverites now have to limit watering their lawns to two days a week, chosen by address. And even on those days, customers are prohibited from watering between the hours of 10am and 6pm, Gadget Review reports.

"Yet as some 1.5 million customers honor the restrictions, one major customer is evidently refusing to close the tap: a brand new #AIDatacenter .

"In a now-viral video circulating on social media, an unidentified resident of Denver’s Elyria-Swansea neighborhood filmed the massive lawn of a data center being sprayed with copious amounts of water.

" 'You better believe that they are watering their entire green with so many sprinklers that it’s literally making a giant pond,' the woman says.

"The identity of the data center in question is unconfirmed, but it’s likely the new 18 megawatt facility owned by the cloud computing company #CoreSite. At around 170,000 square feet in size, the mammoth facility recently went live in #ElyriaSwansea, though not without sparking a wide-ranging debate around Denver’s zoning regulations.

"It isn’t known which tech companies are renting out space in CoreSite’s Denver facility, but elsewhere the company has proudly partnered with tech giants like #Amazon, #Google, and #Microsoft ."

Read more:
https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/data-center-lawn-neighbors-drought-water-restrictions

#AI #AIDatacenters #USPol #Colorado #WaterIsLife #Datacenters #Datacentres #WaterRestrictions #WastingWater #Drought #ClimateChange

HT @waltbaldwin

NextEra secures US loan of up to $1.9 billion for restart of #Iowa #nuclearPlant

By Reuters
September 8, 2026

Excerpt: "Iowa's lone nuclear plant, the #DuaneArnoldEnergyCenter, closed ‌in 2020 ⁠after operating for 45 years. Operations are scheduled to resume in early 2029."

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nextera-secures-up-19-billion-us-loan-restart-duane-arnold-nuclear-center-2026-09-08/

#AISucks #AIDatacenters #NoNukesForAI #NoNukes #NextEra #Holtec #RethinkNotRestart #AIBoom 💥

Um... ☢️

A #Michigan #NuclearPlant shut down for good is being switched back on for #AI power

Story by Everett Sloane, September 6, 2026

"A nuclear plant on the shore of Lake Michigan that shut down for good four years ago is now weeks or months away from producing electricity again, in what would be the first time in American history a retired commercial reactor has been brought back online. #Palisades #Nuclear Generating Station, in #CovertTownship, Michigan, ceased operating in 2022 after Entergy concluded it no longer made economic sense to keep running. Its new owner, #HoltecInternational, is now racing to restart it, betting that the same wave of electricity demand from artificial intelligence #datacenters reshaping the U.S. power grid can justify resurrecting a plant that was, until recently, on a path toward permanent teardown. The attempt is being closely watched across the utility industry because more than a dozen other reactors were permanently retired nationwide over the past decade, and each one is a potential candidate for the same kind of revival if Palisades proves it can be done safely and on budget."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/a-michigan-nuclear-plant-shut-down-for-good-is-being-switched-back-on-for-ai-power/ar-AA2bDJGZ?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover

#AISucks #AIDatacenters #NoNukesForAI #NoNukes #Holtec #PalisadesNuclearPlant #PalisadesNPP #WaterIsLife #LakeMichigan #RethinkNotRestart #AIBoom 💥

#GorhamME officials consider permanent ban on #Datacenters

Several cities and towns in Maine already have moratoriums on data centers, and others are looking to do the same.

by WGME Staff, Fri, September 4, 2026

GORHAM (WGME) -- "The Town of Gorham is considering a permanent ban on data centers.

"The town already passed a moratorium in June, temporarily banning them.

"On Tuesday, town councilors voted unanimously to have the planning board schedule a public hearing and find out if the ban should become permanent.

"Before the ban could go into effect, the planning board will need to vote to change the town's land use and development code."

Read more:
https://wgme.com/news/local/gorham-officials-consider-permanent-ban-on-data-centers-maine-economy

#MainePol #DatacenterMoratorium #DatacenterMoratoriums #Datacentres #DatacentreMoratorium #Hyperscale #Hyperconsumption #AIDatacenters #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyWaste

#Texas Gov. #GregAbbott on #AIDataCenter Backlash: 'They Dug Their Own Grave'

Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, August 23, 2026

"#NewYork Gov. #KathyHochul (D) and #Kentucky Gov. #AndyBeshear (D) have pushed back against the expansion of #AIDataCenters in their respective states. But with the increasing backlash from communities and individuals toward new #datacenter construction and expansion, even governors that have embraced the #AIRevolution, like #Pennsylvania's #JoshShapiro (D), are now moderating and talking about scaling back.

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is one governor whose state has embraced the data center expansion. In November 2025, Abbott declared that Texas is the 'epicenter of AI development' in his announcement of #Google building three data center campuses to the tune of $40 million dollars.

"Fast forward to August of 2026, and Abbott acknowledges that much of the community resistance to the construction of new and existing data centers is the fault of the AI companies."

[...]

"Abbott is not wrong. According to a report from #DataCenterWatch, 64 billion in data center projects have been blocked or delayed in #Arizona, #Utah, #Missouri, #Oregon, and #California, to name a few. Even formerly friendly #Virginia is pushing back. #CommunityOpposition surrounds the lack of information provided and the lack of accountability taken towards the citizens who will be most affected.

"Water and power concerns loom large. Many of the newer development concepts, like entrepreneur #KevinOLeary 's 9 megawatt #StratosProject in #Utah, will have their own self-sustaining water and power systems. However, this did not prevent the backlash by #environmentalists and local activists to shut the Stratos Project down, and Utah state lawmakers ultimately backpedaled from their original approval and requested O'Leary cut the project's 400,000-acre footprint down to 10,000, about 75 percent. "

Read more:
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2026/08/23/tx-gov-gregg-abbott-on-ai-data-center-backlash-they-dug-their-own-grave-n2205971

#AISucks #AIDataCenters #AIResistance #USPol #WorldPol #Datacenters #Datacentres #AIDatacentres #WaterIsLife #NoisePollution #LandIsLife #EnergyConsumption

‘Never seen this level of objection’: #Scotland pushes back against #datacentre boom

#Holyrood ‘inching towards moratorium’ amid concerns over massive proposed developments in #Auchtertool and beyond

by Aisha Down, 25 Aug 2026

"In a village 21 miles north of #Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself – 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pitches.

"Billed as the second-biggest datacentre in the world, the development in Auchertool, Fife, has attracted 1,600 objections.

" 'The public pressure is huge,' said David Torrance, a member of the Scottish parliament representing the village. 'I’ve never seen this level of objection to a local plan, and I have been in politics for 25 years.'

"Similar concerns are being echoed across Scotland, next to gargantuan planned developments in towns such as #Airdrie and #Larbert. In a matter of weeks, as the Scottish parliament comes back into session, the growing opposition could pose a challenge to #Britain ’s #AI strategy.

" 'The Scottish government is inching towards a moratorium,' said Kat Jones, director of the Edinburgh-based charity #ActionToProtectRuralScotland. 'MSPs return to parliament next week, after a summer in their constituencies where they have been hearing the concerns of local people about proposed #hyperscale #datacentres. They will be expecting action.'

"For months, #UK officials have been encouraging would-be datacentre developers to consider Scotland. In April, Fintan Slye, the chief executive of the UK’s National Energy System Operator (Neso), told a London audience to look north: 'If in the audience you have a big datacentre and you want to go to Scotland, please come talk to me, we will help you,' he said.

" 'They are coming up here because we are energy-rich, and we are water-rich, and England is in drought and the grid is struggling,' said Torrance.

"But Scotland, it turns out, isn’t having it. The proposal for Auchtertool is a behemoth: drawings show the 600MW datacentre towering over the village, dwarfing old stone houses and blocking the view of #fields and #forests.

" 'How can you possibly ask people to accept that?' Torrance said. 'You can see why the public is objecting.'

"Scotland has already started to take steps that could mean the Auchtertool datacentre – and dozens of others – may never be built."

Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/aug/25/never-seen-this-level-of-objection-scotland-pushes-back-against-datacentre-boom

#DatacentreMoratorium #DatacenterMoratorium #ScotlandResists #ResistanceIsFertile #Resistance #NoDatacenters #NoDatacentres #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ForestsAreLife #AISucks #AIDataCenters #UKPol #DatacenterResistance #DatacentreResistance

Hmmmm... Something both the right and left can agree on! 🤖

‘I’ve Never Seen This’: Massive Collapse in Support for #AIDataCenters Captured in New Poll

“If you can think of a cohort of Americans, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t welcome a #datacenter in their area.”

Brad Reed, Aug 20, 2026

"A poll released on Thursday shows a massive collapse in support for building #ArtificialIntelligence #DataCenters among #Republican, #Democratic, and #IndependentVoters.

"The poll, which was conducted by Embold Research and published by Heatmap Pro, shows that 75% of Americans now oppose building AI data centers in their area, including 61% registering strong opposition."

"Just one year before, 42% of Americans said they opposed AI data centers in their areas, compared with 43% who expressed support."

Read more:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/data-center-poll-collapse

#NoDatacenters #NoAIDatacenters #AISucks #USElections #USPol #Elections2026 #NoisePollution #WaterPollution #LandIsLife #WaterIsLife #CommonGround

Weekly output: Consumer Cellular + Airalo, SpaceX Starship recovery, American Airlines to restore seatback screens, Google AI for college students, Chinese robots, data centers disliked

After two weeks at home, I have about the shortest possible trip to the West Coast coming up: Qualcomm is hosting a “6G Leadership Day” event in La Jolla, Calif., on Wednesday and covering travel costs for invited journalists. I will, of course, include a disclosure of that in everything I file for PCMag from there.

Patreon readers got an extra post from me this week: a recap of what I learned at (and after) the Black Hat information-security conference.

8/18/2026: Consumer Cellular Taps Airalo for eSIM International Connectivity for Subscribers, PCMag

The fact that Consumer Cellular subscribers can’t take advantage of this eSIM promotion if they bought a phone from that service on an installment-payment plan made this a little more interesting to me.

8/18/2026: For Once, Elon Musk Underestimates SpaceX: A Recovery Team Has Saved Starship’s Upper Stage From Sinking, PCMag

When I wrote this, it wasn’t clear how SpaceX would get Starship’s second stage from Christmas Island to Texas. Now it looks like they’ve outsourced that work to the semi-submersible heavy-lift carrier Forte, operated by the Dutch maritime-services firm Boskalis.

8/19/2026: American Airlines Will Add Seatback Screens to Narrowbody Jets, PCMag

When I sent a question in to AA’s PR department requesting clarification on details like the sizes of the screens and whether the touted personalization features would include targeted advertising or the ability to set favorite movie and TV shows for future flights, I did not expect to get a reply less than two hours later saying the airline couldn’t provide those details because it needed to pick a technology vendor first. I also didn’t expect to scoop travel writers much more versed in AA like Ben Schlappig or Gary Leff, but that’s what happened.

8/19/2026: Google Is Now Offering 1 Free Year of Its AI Pro Plan to US College Students. Here’s How to Get It, PCMag

I was amused to see videos in Google’s press kit show Gemini Live’s Deep Research feature generate a report with a typo-struck title: “Classical Music in Vienna and it’s Historical Influence.”

8/20/2026: China’s robotics ambitions, Al Jazeera

The Arabic-language news channel had me on via Zoom, overdubbed as usual, to comment about a robotics conference going on in China (for a peek at that, see this brief report from Al Jazeera English). My main point: While the Trump administration can make it difficult for Chinese manufacturers of robots to sell into the U.S., there’s almost nothing it can do to stop the rest of the world from doing business with China.

8/21/2026: Americans Hate AI Data Centers Even More Fiercely Than They Did Just a Few Months Ago, New Poll Shows, PCMag

I missed this poll published by Heatmap News the day it came out, but after seeing enough AI boosters on X still angsting out over it, I decided the story had some legs. The attention that this climate-news site’s survey has kept getting leads me to think that I made the right call.

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/amazon-data-center-largest-pollution-source-texas-usa

#jeffbezos #Amazon #ai #datacenters #aidatacenters #pollution #environment #jeffbezosdonation #jeffbezosworkstress #jeffbezoshasalreadyboughtyourtown #jeffbezosheadlookslikeadick #nobillionaires #nobillionairesshouldexist

Insurgent Candidate Victories Highlight Growing Movement Against #Corporate & #Elite Power: #JohnNichols

#DemocracyNow, August 05, 2026

Excerpt: "AMY GOODMAN: And let’s go to #WilliamLawrence of the #SunriseMovement —

JOHN NICHOLS: Yeah.

AMY GOODMAN: — who we just mentioned, who won his primary, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, defeated two opponents to win the Democratic House primary in Michigan’s 7th District, focusing partly on what you just mentioned: #AIDatacenters . This is one of his ads.

' WILLIAM LAWRENCE: I’m #WillLawrence. And #TechBillionaires want to turn this whole field into a massive #datacenter that’ll jack up our energy bills and ruin our home values.

RANDY: They put that in, it’s going to plummet the values. It’s an existential threat.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE: I’m running for U.S. Congress because I’ve been afraid to stand up to corporate power. I’m backed by #BernieSanders, and I don’t take a dime from #CorporatePACs . '

ANJALI KAMAT: And in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, #DonavanMcKinney, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has a narrow lead over Congressman Shri Thanedar. This is a part of one of McKinney’s ads.

' DONAVAN McKINNEY: #ShriThanedar and the same #billionaires supporting #DonaldTrump are spending millions lying to you. They know that in Congress, Shri fights for them. I will fight for us — lower costs, higher wages, #MedicareForAll . '

ANJALI KAMAT: #AbbasAlawieh also won the Democratic primary for a seat in the Michigan state Senate. He was a co-founder of the #UncommittedMovement, which pushed for President Biden, and then Kamala Harris, to end U.S. support for Israel’s #WarOnGaza. This is Abbas speaking outside the DNC, the Democratic National Convention, in 2024, where the Uncommitted Movement pushed to include a #Palestinian voice at the convention.

'ABBAS ALAWIEH: Here is the scandal, my friends. Here is the scandal. The scandal is that there are forces within #DemocraticParty leadership who do not want us to talk about #Palestinian #HumanRights. But that’s not sustainable. This is a watershed moment. '

ANJALI KAMAT: John Nichols, can you talk about some of these other key races in Michigan and other states where progressives were challenging more establishment candidates, and just what you think is most important as a takeaway from yesterday’s primaries?

JOHN NICHOLS: I sure can. I’m delighted to do it, because the fact of the matter is that our national media too often focuses on the top-line races and misses the real dynamic, which you start to recognize is when you go down-ballot and you look at contests for U.S. House seats and for legislative seats.

And if you look in Michigan, what you’re seeing is, with Will Lawrence, an example of a real breakthrough win for a young candidate who ran a campaign on dynamic, fresh issues, including data centers. With #DonavanMcKinney, that’s still a close race. There are votes still to be counted there. But this is an incredible thing, because this is a candidate who didn’t have anywhere near the kind of money that his opponent did, and yet, with a real grassroots campaign on the ground there in Detroit and that region, ran very, very well.

And if we move beyond Michigan and you look around the country, what you’re going to see is that Tuesday night was a very good night for insurgent candidacies and for outsiders. In the #Missouri governor’s race, what you saw was kind of a remarkable result. #CindyHolscher, who’s a state senator out there and came from the outside — she wasn’t backed by the sitting governor, she wasn’t backed by a lot of Democratic Party leaders, and yet she won her primary for governor. And she did it by talking, again, about data centers and making that a very central part of her campaign. We’re starting to see a thread here. "

Full interview:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/5/john_nichols_aug4_primaries

#USPol #DSA #Elections2026 #USElections #IsraeliWarCrimes #FreeGaza #FreePalestine #GetMoneyOut #NoDatacenters

#SamAltman and others at #OpenAI are trying wicked hard to convince folks that they're all about saving #Nature... Buying #JackieAndShadow's home and now this... Um, sorry Sam and friends. It doesn't make up for the #NoisePollution, #WaterPollution, pollution from #EnergyConsumption , etc. for the #AIHouseOfCards... But folks are seeing right through that!

#OpenAI flew influencers to a #NatureResort to fix its image. The internet called it #greenwashing.

OpenAI flew a group of influencers to a $2,000-a-night wellness resort to warm up the public mood around #AI. Days before a reported $500bn #Datacentre deal, the internet called it greenwashing, and the creators got the backlash.

August 4, 2026

"The event, branded 'Summer Camp,' ran at Wildflower Farms, a resort in New York’s #HudsonValley where rooms can top $2,000 a night, Business Insider reported. Creators posted farm-to-table dinners under bistro lights, a beekeeping session, and classes on OpenAI’s tools. They went home with branded canvas bags and jars of honey.

"The videos were soft-focus and lighthearted. The comments were not. Across TikTok, Reddit, X and Instagram, people called the trip 'dystopian' and accused OpenAI of greenwashing. One commenter told TechCrunch the issue was timing: '#TheWorldIsOnFire. It’s not a great time to brag about your $5,000-a-night suite.' "

Read more:
https://thenextweb.com/news/openai-summer-camp-influencer-retreat-greenwashing-backlash

#NoDatacenters #TheWorldIsBurning #USPol #AISucks #BigPower #BigData #ResistDataCenters #PowerCorruptionAndLies #AIDatacenters

#AIIndustry to world: 'Somebody stop us'

Story by John Herrman, July 30, 2026

"More than 1,200 employees at AI firms, including top executives at #OpenAI, #Anthropic, #Meta, and #Google, have signed on to a statement calling for an 'option to buy time to address emerging risks, develop security measures, and strengthen oversight' in the face of 'a real risk that capability development rapidly accelerates beyond our ability to understand or control the resulting systems.' AI could 'help create a dramatically better future, but that outcome is not guaranteed,' they say. Companies and countries are under 'intense competitive pressure' not to slow things down unilaterally, the statement says, and the world currently lacks 'the technical and governance tools to deliberately pace fronter-wide progress.' "

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/ai-industry-to-world-somebody-stop-us/ar-AA294Fpu

Archived version:

#AISucks #AIDatacenters #USPol #WorldPol

#Indigenous at the #UnitedNations Expose #AIDatacenters and Racially-Biased #Misinformation

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, July 14, 2026

GENEVA -- "The mediocre, middle-of-the-road approach to #AI at the United Nations was countered by testimony today from #IndigenousPeoples pointing out that #ArtificialIntelligence is not a solution, and is doing great harm to Indigenous with derogatory misinformation and massive #datacenters that are poisoning the #land, #water and #air.

"#JaimieWilliams, #MiamiNation in #Indiana, speaking on behalf of the Society of Native Nations, at the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, responded to the A.I. summary presented this morning. Williams said the summary does not reflect the true impact of artificial intelligence, particularly in the way the technology is powered.

" 'AI data centers are rapidly being constructed on the land of Indigenous Peoples without free, prior and #InformedConsent from us.'

" 'My people came out of the water, the #SaintJosephRiver in the southeast of #LakeMichigan, along that river there are several data centers,' she said, pointing out that Indigenous across #TurtleIsland share similar stories.

" 'These sacred waterways and lands are being used for A.I. data centers.'

" 'I was once convinced artificial intelligence could help my tribe build our language and culture, but AI is not a sustainable solution.'

" 'There is currently no available technology available to power A.I. without poisoning the water, drying up the rivers and causing further contamination in the territories of Indigenous Peoples, who are already disproportionately affected.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/07/indigenous-at-united-nations-expose-ai.html

#BigData #BigDataSucks #CorporateColonialism #WaterIsLife #LandIsLife #AirIsLife #ProtectTheSacred #USPol

"The AI Data Center Boom Does Not Survive Basic Physics"
#JovanHall via YouTube
June 3rd, 2026

https://youtu.be/9lDc8NpU2c0

#AI #AIscam #DataCenters #AIDataCenters #physics #engineering #water #energy #resources #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChange #math #Utah #kevinoleary

The Dangers of #Datacenters

by Elan Justice Pavlinich, PhD
Feb 27, 2026

"Data Centers are large facilities containing computer servers used for data storage, data analytics, generative AI, and streaming services. Data centers represent health risks for their neighbors. These risks are especially high from hyperscale data centers powered by fossil fuels, such as those proposed for some parts of Pennsylvania. Listed below are some of the top problems data centers impose on nearby communities.


#NoisePollution

Data centers cause noise pollution. First, the heavy equipment used to construct the facilities are loud. Then, once they are up and running, diesel generators plus heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems create a constant hum that can be audible to neighboring residents and wildlife. Data centers generate noise levels that may exceed 90 decibels. Noise levels above 85 decibels are harmful to hearing.


#LightPollution

Data centers generate light pollution. Hyperscale facilities require all-night lighting that disrupts the natural (circadian) rhythms of the body, including melatonin production (the hormone that regulates sleep) and sleep-wake cycles. Light pollution is also disturbing migration patterns and habitat development among birds, butterflies, bats, cats, and turtles—to name only a handful.

The long-term impacts of both noise and light pollution include hearing loss, stress, insomnia, and decreased quality of life.


#AirPollution

Data centers, especially gas-powered data centers, emit significant pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, methane, volatile organic compounds, and fine particulate matter. According to a September 2025 study, these pollutants increase rates of respiratory diseases and cardiovascular conditions, and they elevate cancer risks among nearby communities. A 2025 model indicates that U.S. data centers in 2030 could cause approximately 600,000 asthma symptom cases and 1,300 premature deaths, exceeding 1/3 of asthma deaths in the U.S. each year, resulting in a public health burden of more than $20 billion.


#WaterWaste

Data centers require water to cool computer servers so they do not become too hot to function. A large data center will use up to 5 million gallons of water daily. Drawing from local water supplies, these facilities are slurping up resources that should be available to residents in water-scarce regions. In fact, data centers increase the threat of water insecurity, and thus dehydration and poor hygiene.

Nevertheless, a 2025 report by SourceMaterial and The Guardian found that Google has seven active data centers in water-scarce areas of the U.S. and was planning to build six more. Prior to this, in 2023, the state of Arizona revoked construction permits for new homes due to a scarcity of groundwater in Maricopa County, where Meta has one data center, Microsoft has two data centers, and Google has one data center with a second in development.


Cost Increase for Home Energy Consumers

Data centers have typically not paid their fair share in utilities, particularly for electricity consumption, and in those situations other consumers (including residential customers) have had to pay more than they otherwise would.

Utility companies identify data centers as large load customers, meaning that they require a lot more energy from the power grid. When a utility grid operator must add new infrastructure to accommodate growing populations or large load customers, rates may increase for all users in that region, despite attempts to regulate those increases or to allocate costs to the large load customer. In fact, utility grid operators will sometimes negotiate lower rates to incentivize large load customers to build in their territory, meaning that additional expenses must be covered by the other customer segments.

Last year, analysts estimated a 20% rate increase for Pennsylvania households. The U.S. Energy Information Administration shows the average resident has been paying 37% more for electricity since 2020. U.S. energy demand is expected to grow 2.5% annually over the next decade. Therefore, it is likely that residents will see an increase in energy rates. These trends indicate data centers make cost of living more expensive.

In response to escalating concerns over energy costs, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced new standards that require data center developers to construct their own energy sources or pay for the upgrades to the grid, sparing local consumers the costs. It remains to be seen how, when, and for which facilities those standards will be enforced, but even if the average home is spared the additional financial costs of a data center boom, there is still the price of numerous environmental hazards listed above, especially if new data centers rely on fracked gas for power.

This data center boom and the subsequent demand for more energy presents an opportunity to protect public health and to invest in renewable energy as a driver of the economy, but we need to make that choice now. If data centers are encroaching on our region, they must be powered by cleaner, renewable sources of energy to avoid imposing additional health hazards associated with oil and gas development onto nearby communities.


Who Is Affected?

As with other forms of air pollution, those at increased risk include children, developing fetuses, pregnant people, elderly, and individuals with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease.

Data Centers also pose environmental justice concerns because they disproportionately affect minority and #LowIncome communities [like #SanfordME]. First, trends point to energy sources that fuel data centers being built near #BlackCommunities, which suffer the consequences of exposure to pollution, identified above. Plus, research indicates that the automation capabilities of AI are predicted to replace more jobs performed by Black people, and thus widening systemic inequities that overwhelmingly keep Black households at an economic disadvantage.

This trend is not a new one. In fact, for people throughout our region, it is a familiar story. Data centers powered by fracked gas, like other oil and gas industries, threaten some of our most vulnerable community members, but they also put every nearby person at greater risk for health consequences—not to mention the added financial burden of health care costs.


What Can We Do?

The companies behind the data center boom are moving quickly into communities across the region, many with promises of prosperity. But some communities are pushing back and saying that data centers are not worth the health and environmental impacts. If you agree with that sentiment, there are steps you can take to combat data centers in your backyard.

- First, check if your municipality has a data center ordinance. If not, urge officials to adopt one.

- Then, identify opportunities for community participation before the proposed data center is approved. Will a public hearing be required? If so, take this opportunity to express your concerns and to share this resource with other community members.

- Next, reference nuisance control ordinances (rules for limiting noise, light, and vibrations), plus zoning laws that would restrict new data centers in your region.

- If the data center must be built, advocate for limiting the use of fossil fuels in both everyday operations and generator backups. Encourage decision makers and developers to utilize renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels.

- Finally, urge decision makers to require any facility to report their emissions and share an emergency preparedness plan with the community."

To learn more:
https://www.environmentalhealthproject.org/post/the-dangers-of-data-centers

#ResistDatacenters #Resistance #FightBack #DatacentersSuck #EnvironmentalRacism #AIResistance #AISucks #AIDataCenters #DatacenterMoratorium

In five short weeks, Kevin O’Leary’s Utah version of Wonder Valley has thrown the state into a massive conflict over water, air pollution, heat islands, and the community benefits of AI data centres.

Throw in questions about property rights, accusations of paid protesters, a mysterious Department of War connection, and a Chinese government interference conspiracy…well, you’ve got a story.

Here’s my update on how a Canadian celebrity investor has shaken a US state facing a drought and water crisis.

https://www.theenergymix.com/opposition-mounts-as-olearys-data-centre-approved-in-drought-stricken-utah/

#AIdatacentres #AIDataCenters #technology #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #sustainability #AIhyperscalers #WonderValleyAlberta #Stratos #WonderValleyUtah #GreatSaltLake #drought #water

#KevinOLeary’s Massive #DataCenter Project in #Utah Gets the Greenlight, Locals Are Furious

The project would be more than twice the size of Manhattan and could consume more electricity than the entire state currently uses.

By Bruce Gil
Published May 6, 2026

"The Box Elder County Commission voted on Monday to move forward with a proposed 40,000-acre #AI and #CloudComputing campus in a rural part of northern Utah near the #GreatSaltLake. The site would span more than twice the size of Manhattan.

"The project, backed by O’Leary Digital, the infrastructure arm of O’Leary Ventures, is expected to eventually produce and consume up to 9 gigawatts of power. That’s roughly double the amount of electricity the entire state of Utah currently consumes, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

"The campus is expected to be built in phases and overseen by Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (#MIDA). O’Leary proposed a similar project in Canada in 2024 and has referred to both developments as '#WonderValley.' "

[...]

"For his part, O’Leary has claimed, without evidence, that much of the opposition to the project was 'paid' and that the meeting was filled with 'professional protestors.'

" 'We think that over 90% of the protestors are actually not people that live in Utah or Box Elder County. They’re being bussed in,' O’Leary said in a video posted on X.
He also claimed backlash on social media surrounding the project was AI-generated.

"O’Leary Ventures did not immediately respond to a human-issued request for comment from Gizmodo."

Full article:
https://gizmodo.com/kevin-olearys-massive-data-center-project-in-utah-gets-the-greenlight-locals-are-furious-2000755168

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/Q9tF4

#OLearyDigital #OLearyVentures #SharkTank #Datacenters #AIDatacenters #LocalOpposition #NoisePollution #AISucks #MilitaryIndustrialComplex

GM’s CEO Issues Warning Over Cheap Chinese EVs In North America

In case you didn’t hear the news, America’s neighbor to the north has greenlit the import of thousands…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #AIdatacenters #Analysis #automotivenewscanada #b2b #bev #Bloomberg #brightdropev #BYD #CA #Canada #chipshortage #Citigroup #CriticalMaterials #denza #EV #fleet #Ford #GeneralMotors #gmcami #oshawaassemblyplant #SouthChinaMorningPost #spglobal #Tesla #WallStreetJournal
https://www.newsbeep.com/376460/

https://www.europesays.com/ie/259407/ Are Revenues Still Far Away? #AI #AIDataCenters #AiInfrastructure #ArtificialIntelligence #ArtificialIntelligence #BitcoinMining #CleanSpark #DataCenter #Éire #IE #Ireland #Technology #ZacksInvestmentResearch

Ummmm... Not everyone!

"Altman's statement reflects optimism about the usefulness of future AI systems, but despite warnings of an AI bubble and criticism of the underlying technology, there is still actual unmet demand for generative AI capacity today. ChatGPT serves 700 million weekly active users, more than double the US population, who regularly use the AI assistant to develop software, provide personal advice, and compose or edit correspondence and reports. While the outputs may be imperfect at times, people apparently still want them."


Why does #OpenAI need six giant data centers?

OpenAI's new $400 billion announcement reveals both growing AI demand and circular investments.

Benj Edwards – Sep 24, 2025

[How many of these places are low on water resources? Quite a few!!!] "The five new sites will include three locations developed through an OpenAI and #Oracle partnership: #ShackelfordCounty, #Texas; #DoñaAnaCounty, #NewMexico; and an unspecified #Midwest location. These sites, along with a 600-megawatt expansion near the flagship #Stargate site in #AbileneTx, can deliver over 5.5 gigawatts of capacity, which means the computers on site will be able to draw up to 5.5 billion watts of electricity when running at full load. The companies expect the sites to create over 25,000 onsite jobs.

"Two of the sites will be developed through a partnership between SoftBank and OpenAI. One site in #LordstownOH, where #SoftBank has broken ground, is on track to be operational next year. The second site in #MilamCounty, #Texas, will be developed with #SBEnergy, a SoftBank Group company. These two sites may scale to 1.5 gigawatts over the next 18 months.

"The new sites will join the flagship Stargate campus in Abilene, Texas. Oracle began delivering #Nvidia hardware to that site in June, and OpenAI has already begun training (building new models) and inference (running #ChatGPT) using the data center."

Read more:
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/09/why-does-openai-need-six-giant-data-centers/

#AIDataCenters #WaterIsLife #NoisePollution #FossilFuels #EnergyWaste #NoNukesForAI #NoNukesForDatacenters #AISucks #UseYourBrain #ThinkForYourself

MARA Launches Pilot to Harness Shale Gas for Bitcoin Mining Operations - MARA, one of the largest bitcoin miners in the public market, has kicked off an ex... - https://news.bitcoin.com/mara-launches-pilot-to-harness-shale-gas-for-bitcoin-mining-operations/ #emissionsreduction #powergeneration #renewableenergy #aidatacenters #bitcoinmining #carboncredits #naturalgas #fredthiel #shalegas #mining #mara