#datacenterssuck — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #datacenterssuck, aggregated by home.social.
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#SaveMyLouisiana leads protest against Applied Digital data center
Story by Melinda Martinez, July 20, 2026
"Save My Louisiana organized a #protest against the #AppliedDigital #datacenter being built in the small Central Louisiana community of Boyce on Saturday, July 18.
"Those at the protest were concerned with non-disclosure agreements [#NDA's] signed by local officials, higher utility costs and the #EnvironmentalImpact of the Applied Digital data center. A few also questioned the true economic impact of the project, which they think will benefit the company, but not Central #Louisiana.
"Applied Digital, a Dallas-based digital infrastructure company, broke ground in January on #DeltaForge1, a large-scale artificial intelligence data center located at James Road and La. 121 near Boyce. A news release issued by the Louisiana Economic Development states it is expected to be finished by mid-2027.
"At a news conference held in May announcing the building of the $3.6 billion data center, Applied Digital board director Richard Nottenburg said that the Delta Forge 1 data center is not a traditional data center.
"Applied Digital has been working on transitioning from air cooled to liquid cooled data centers, said Applied Digital president and co-founder Jason Zhang at the same news conference.
“ 'Our design is a proprietary design that allows us to use very minimal water,' he said, adding that it’s an issue that is very important to communities where data centers are built." [So, in other words, an alleged "closed loop system"! But even closed loop systems have to be flushed periodically!!!]
#AIDatacenters #CorporateColonialism #ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks
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#SaveMyLouisiana leads protest against Applied Digital data center
Story by Melinda Martinez, July 20, 2026
"Save My Louisiana organized a #protest against the #AppliedDigital #datacenter being built in the small Central Louisiana community of Boyce on Saturday, July 18.
"Those at the protest were concerned with non-disclosure agreements [#NDA's] signed by local officials, higher utility costs and the #EnvironmentalImpact of the Applied Digital data center. A few also questioned the true economic impact of the project, which they think will benefit the company, but not Central #Louisiana.
"Applied Digital, a Dallas-based digital infrastructure company, broke ground in January on #DeltaForge1, a large-scale artificial intelligence data center located at James Road and La. 121 near Boyce. A news release issued by the Louisiana Economic Development states it is expected to be finished by mid-2027.
"At a news conference held in May announcing the building of the $3.6 billion data center, Applied Digital board director Richard Nottenburg said that the Delta Forge 1 data center is not a traditional data center.
"Applied Digital has been working on transitioning from air cooled to liquid cooled data centers, said Applied Digital president and co-founder Jason Zhang at the same news conference.
“ 'Our design is a proprietary design that allows us to use very minimal water,' he said, adding that it’s an issue that is very important to communities where data centers are built." [So, in other words, an alleged "closed loop system"! But even closed loop systems have to be flushed periodically!!!]
#AIDatacenters #CorporateColonialism #ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks
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#SaveMyLouisiana leads protest against Applied Digital data center
Story by Melinda Martinez, July 20, 2026
"Save My Louisiana organized a #protest against the #AppliedDigital #datacenter being built in the small Central Louisiana community of Boyce on Saturday, July 18.
"Those at the protest were concerned with non-disclosure agreements [#NDA's] signed by local officials, higher utility costs and the #EnvironmentalImpact of the Applied Digital data center. A few also questioned the true economic impact of the project, which they think will benefit the company, but not Central #Louisiana.
"Applied Digital, a Dallas-based digital infrastructure company, broke ground in January on #DeltaForge1, a large-scale artificial intelligence data center located at James Road and La. 121 near Boyce. A news release issued by the Louisiana Economic Development states it is expected to be finished by mid-2027.
"At a news conference held in May announcing the building of the $3.6 billion data center, Applied Digital board director Richard Nottenburg said that the Delta Forge 1 data center is not a traditional data center.
"Applied Digital has been working on transitioning from air cooled to liquid cooled data centers, said Applied Digital president and co-founder Jason Zhang at the same news conference.
“ 'Our design is a proprietary design that allows us to use very minimal water,' he said, adding that it’s an issue that is very important to communities where data centers are built." [So, in other words, an alleged "closed loop system"! But even closed loop systems have to be flushed periodically!!!]
#AIDatacenters #CorporateColonialism #ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks
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#SaveMyLouisiana leads protest against Applied Digital data center
Story by Melinda Martinez, July 20, 2026
"Save My Louisiana organized a #protest against the #AppliedDigital #datacenter being built in the small Central Louisiana community of Boyce on Saturday, July 18.
"Those at the protest were concerned with non-disclosure agreements [#NDA's] signed by local officials, higher utility costs and the #EnvironmentalImpact of the Applied Digital data center. A few also questioned the true economic impact of the project, which they think will benefit the company, but not Central #Louisiana.
"Applied Digital, a Dallas-based digital infrastructure company, broke ground in January on #DeltaForge1, a large-scale artificial intelligence data center located at James Road and La. 121 near Boyce. A news release issued by the Louisiana Economic Development states it is expected to be finished by mid-2027.
"At a news conference held in May announcing the building of the $3.6 billion data center, Applied Digital board director Richard Nottenburg said that the Delta Forge 1 data center is not a traditional data center.
"Applied Digital has been working on transitioning from air cooled to liquid cooled data centers, said Applied Digital president and co-founder Jason Zhang at the same news conference.
“ 'Our design is a proprietary design that allows us to use very minimal water,' he said, adding that it’s an issue that is very important to communities where data centers are built." [So, in other words, an alleged "closed loop system"! But even closed loop systems have to be flushed periodically!!!]
#AIDatacenters #CorporateColonialism #ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks
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#SaveMyLouisiana leads protest against Applied Digital data center
Story by Melinda Martinez, July 20, 2026
"Save My Louisiana organized a #protest against the #AppliedDigital #datacenter being built in the small Central Louisiana community of Boyce on Saturday, July 18.
"Those at the protest were concerned with non-disclosure agreements [#NDA's] signed by local officials, higher utility costs and the #EnvironmentalImpact of the Applied Digital data center. A few also questioned the true economic impact of the project, which they think will benefit the company, but not Central #Louisiana.
"Applied Digital, a Dallas-based digital infrastructure company, broke ground in January on #DeltaForge1, a large-scale artificial intelligence data center located at James Road and La. 121 near Boyce. A news release issued by the Louisiana Economic Development states it is expected to be finished by mid-2027.
"At a news conference held in May announcing the building of the $3.6 billion data center, Applied Digital board director Richard Nottenburg said that the Delta Forge 1 data center is not a traditional data center.
"Applied Digital has been working on transitioning from air cooled to liquid cooled data centers, said Applied Digital president and co-founder Jason Zhang at the same news conference.
“ 'Our design is a proprietary design that allows us to use very minimal water,' he said, adding that it’s an issue that is very important to communities where data centers are built." [So, in other words, an alleged "closed loop system"! But even closed loop systems have to be flushed periodically!!!]
#AIDatacenters #CorporateColonialism #ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks
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Wait, what..? Something both the #Left and #Right can agree on?!! Maybe the right is waking up to #CorporateColonialism! Good! Our #CorporateOverlords take advantage of everyone!
#Datacenter opponents stage 142 #protests across 42 US states
Story by Valerie Volcovici and Lisa Baertlein, July 18, 2026
Excerpt: "Opponents of the rapid buildout of #datacenters held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the #AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
"The protests were coordinated by #HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day #TeaParty. She compares growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 to protest what it saw as excessive taxation and government overreach.
"Protesters rallied against what HumansFirst calls the 'unaccountable' buildout of #datacenters and 'unacceptable infringement on our liberty.'
"In #FredericksburgVA, one young man carried a sign reading, 'We thrive on water not data.' In #AtlantaGA, a small knot of protesters wielded signs reading, '#Georgia never voted for #hyperscale #AIDatacenters. ' "
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/data-center-opponents-stage-142-protests-across-42-us-states/ar-AA28cU6m#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck
#NoisePollution #LightPollution
#ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks -
Wait, what..? Something both the #Left and #Right can agree on?!! Maybe the right is waking up to #CorporateColonialism! Good! Our #CorporateOverlords take advantage of everyone!
#Datacenter opponents stage 142 #protests across 42 US states
Story by Valerie Volcovici and Lisa Baertlein, July 18, 2026
Excerpt: "Opponents of the rapid buildout of #datacenters held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the #AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
"The protests were coordinated by #HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day #TeaParty. She compares growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 to protest what it saw as excessive taxation and government overreach.
"Protesters rallied against what HumansFirst calls the 'unaccountable' buildout of #datacenters and 'unacceptable infringement on our liberty.'
"In #FredericksburgVA, one young man carried a sign reading, 'We thrive on water not data.' In #AtlantaGA, a small knot of protesters wielded signs reading, '#Georgia never voted for #hyperscale #AIDatacenters. ' "
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/data-center-opponents-stage-142-protests-across-42-us-states/ar-AA28cU6m#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck
#NoisePollution #LightPollution
#ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks -
Wait, what..? Something both the #Left and #Right can agree on?!! Maybe the right is waking up to #CorporateColonialism! Good! Our #CorporateOverlords take advantage of everyone!
#Datacenter opponents stage 142 #protests across 42 US states
Story by Valerie Volcovici and Lisa Baertlein, July 18, 2026
Excerpt: "Opponents of the rapid buildout of #datacenters held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the #AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
"The protests were coordinated by #HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day #TeaParty. She compares growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 to protest what it saw as excessive taxation and government overreach.
"Protesters rallied against what HumansFirst calls the 'unaccountable' buildout of #datacenters and 'unacceptable infringement on our liberty.'
"In #FredericksburgVA, one young man carried a sign reading, 'We thrive on water not data.' In #AtlantaGA, a small knot of protesters wielded signs reading, '#Georgia never voted for #hyperscale #AIDatacenters. ' "
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/data-center-opponents-stage-142-protests-across-42-us-states/ar-AA28cU6m#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck
#NoisePollution #LightPollution
#ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks -
Wait, what..? Something both the #Left and #Right can agree on?!! Maybe the right is waking up to #CorporateColonialism! Good! Our #CorporateOverlords take advantage of everyone!
#Datacenter opponents stage 142 #protests across 42 US states
Story by Valerie Volcovici and Lisa Baertlein, July 18, 2026
Excerpt: "Opponents of the rapid buildout of #datacenters held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the #AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
"The protests were coordinated by #HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day #TeaParty. She compares growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 to protest what it saw as excessive taxation and government overreach.
"Protesters rallied against what HumansFirst calls the 'unaccountable' buildout of #datacenters and 'unacceptable infringement on our liberty.'
"In #FredericksburgVA, one young man carried a sign reading, 'We thrive on water not data.' In #AtlantaGA, a small knot of protesters wielded signs reading, '#Georgia never voted for #hyperscale #AIDatacenters. ' "
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/data-center-opponents-stage-142-protests-across-42-us-states/ar-AA28cU6m#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck
#NoisePollution #LightPollution
#ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks -
Wait, what..? Something both the #Left and #Right can agree on?!! Maybe the right is waking up to #CorporateColonialism! Good! Our #CorporateOverlords take advantage of everyone!
#Datacenter opponents stage 142 #protests across 42 US states
Story by Valerie Volcovici and Lisa Baertlein, July 18, 2026
Excerpt: "Opponents of the rapid buildout of #datacenters held 142 protests across 42 states on Saturday in the first nationwide effort to channel anger at the #AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
"The protests were coordinated by #HumansFirst, co-founded by a former leader of the modern-day #TeaParty. She compares growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 to protest what it saw as excessive taxation and government overreach.
"Protesters rallied against what HumansFirst calls the 'unaccountable' buildout of #datacenters and 'unacceptable infringement on our liberty.'
"In #FredericksburgVA, one young man carried a sign reading, 'We thrive on water not data.' In #AtlantaGA, a small knot of protesters wielded signs reading, '#Georgia never voted for #hyperscale #AIDatacenters. ' "
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/data-center-opponents-stage-142-protests-across-42-us-states/ar-AA28cU6m#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #DatacentersSuck
#NoisePollution #LightPollution
#ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks -
#VicksburgMS residents #protest planned #AmazonDatacenter
Acie Lewis
Sun, July 19, 2026Excerpt: " 'It's being put up right next to the main elementary school for the City of Vicksburg. And there are several #environmental and health concerns surrounding these #datacenters. And so, being right next to a school, that hits home to me because I really care about children. I have kids,' said Stuart English.
" 'We know nothing about it. No one said anything about it. So, we're just finding a location and putting it wherever we could fit, no matter how many children are there. These are our babies. We've got to take care of them, and I am,' said Claude Lee, a Vicksburg teacher."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/vicksburg-residents-protest-planned-amazon-134114884.html#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #Datacenters #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks #AmazonDatacenters #AWS #Mississippi
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#VicksburgMS residents #protest planned #AmazonDatacenter
Acie Lewis
Sun, July 19, 2026Excerpt: " 'It's being put up right next to the main elementary school for the City of Vicksburg. And there are several #environmental and health concerns surrounding these #datacenters. And so, being right next to a school, that hits home to me because I really care about children. I have kids,' said Stuart English.
" 'We know nothing about it. No one said anything about it. So, we're just finding a location and putting it wherever we could fit, no matter how many children are there. These are our babies. We've got to take care of them, and I am,' said Claude Lee, a Vicksburg teacher."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/vicksburg-residents-protest-planned-amazon-134114884.html#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #Datacenters #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks #AmazonDatacenters #AWS #Mississippi
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#VicksburgMS residents #protest planned #AmazonDatacenter
Acie Lewis
Sun, July 19, 2026Excerpt: " 'It's being put up right next to the main elementary school for the City of Vicksburg. And there are several #environmental and health concerns surrounding these #datacenters. And so, being right next to a school, that hits home to me because I really care about children. I have kids,' said Stuart English.
" 'We know nothing about it. No one said anything about it. So, we're just finding a location and putting it wherever we could fit, no matter how many children are there. These are our babies. We've got to take care of them, and I am,' said Claude Lee, a Vicksburg teacher."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/vicksburg-residents-protest-planned-amazon-134114884.html#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #Datacenters #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks #AmazonDatacenters #AWS #Mississippi
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#VicksburgMS residents #protest planned #AmazonDatacenter
Acie Lewis
Sun, July 19, 2026Excerpt: " 'It's being put up right next to the main elementary school for the City of Vicksburg. And there are several #environmental and health concerns surrounding these #datacenters. And so, being right next to a school, that hits home to me because I really care about children. I have kids,' said Stuart English.
" 'We know nothing about it. No one said anything about it. So, we're just finding a location and putting it wherever we could fit, no matter how many children are there. These are our babies. We've got to take care of them, and I am,' said Claude Lee, a Vicksburg teacher."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/vicksburg-residents-protest-planned-amazon-134114884.html#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #Datacenters #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks #AmazonDatacenters #AWS #Mississippi
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#VicksburgMS residents #protest planned #AmazonDatacenter
Acie Lewis
Sun, July 19, 2026Excerpt: " 'It's being put up right next to the main elementary school for the City of Vicksburg. And there are several #environmental and health concerns surrounding these #datacenters. And so, being right next to a school, that hits home to me because I really care about children. I have kids,' said Stuart English.
" 'We know nothing about it. No one said anything about it. So, we're just finding a location and putting it wherever we could fit, no matter how many children are there. These are our babies. We've got to take care of them, and I am,' said Claude Lee, a Vicksburg teacher."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/vicksburg-residents-protest-planned-amazon-134114884.html#ResistBigData #BigTech #BigData #USPol #Datacenters #DatacentersSuck #NoisePollution #LightPollution #ElectricityConsumption #Secrecy #AISucks #AmazonDatacenters #AWS #Mississippi
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Hmmmm... Common ground?
Iran-linked hackers take aim at U.S. and other targets, raising risk of cyberattacks during war
Mar 12, 2026
"The datacenters need to be taken out," wrote one user, as uncovered by researchers at U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group. "They host the brains of USAs military communication and targeting systems."
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Hmmmm... Common ground?
Iran-linked hackers take aim at U.S. and other targets, raising risk of cyberattacks during war
Mar 12, 2026
"The datacenters need to be taken out," wrote one user, as uncovered by researchers at U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group. "They host the brains of USAs military communication and targeting systems."
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Yes! More of this, please!
#JayME #DataCenter project put on hold after developer backs out
by Russ Reed, 6/12/2026
Excerpt: "The owners of a former paper mill in Jay have put plans to build a data center at the site on hold because the developer has backed out of the project, according to officials in the #Maine town.
"JGT2, owners of the Riley Road property that was once home to the Androscoggin Mill, told Jay officials that the developer, Sentinel, intended not to move forward at this point, according to a post on the Town of Jay Facebook page.
[...]
"The news comes more than two months after Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have put a temporary moratorium on data centers in Maine, a moratorium that would have been the first of its kind in the United States. The Maine Legislature passed the bill, #LD307, which would have required the state's Department of Energy Resources to create the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to ensure Maine is ready for data centers.
"State Rep. Melanie Sachs, the bill's sponsor, said the legislation was an attempt to make sure Maine is ready for data centers and focused on the infrastructure needed for these types of facilities. When the bill was passed, a spokesperson for Mills said the governor agreed with lawmakers that the rapid growth of large-scale AI data centers warrants careful evaluation of impacts on public resources, the environment and Maine ratepayers. But Mills also supported an exemption to the law for the proposed data center at the former Jay paper mill, which was not included in the bill passed by the Legislature."
#DatacentersSuck #DatacenterMoratoriums #MainePol #MaineResists #ResistBigData #USPol #WorldPol
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Yes! More of this, please!
#JayME #DataCenter project put on hold after developer backs out
by Russ Reed, 6/12/2026
Excerpt: "The owners of a former paper mill in Jay have put plans to build a data center at the site on hold because the developer has backed out of the project, according to officials in the #Maine town.
"JGT2, owners of the Riley Road property that was once home to the Androscoggin Mill, told Jay officials that the developer, Sentinel, intended not to move forward at this point, according to a post on the Town of Jay Facebook page.
[...]
"The news comes more than two months after Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have put a temporary moratorium on data centers in Maine, a moratorium that would have been the first of its kind in the United States. The Maine Legislature passed the bill, #LD307, which would have required the state's Department of Energy Resources to create the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to ensure Maine is ready for data centers.
"State Rep. Melanie Sachs, the bill's sponsor, said the legislation was an attempt to make sure Maine is ready for data centers and focused on the infrastructure needed for these types of facilities. When the bill was passed, a spokesperson for Mills said the governor agreed with lawmakers that the rapid growth of large-scale AI data centers warrants careful evaluation of impacts on public resources, the environment and Maine ratepayers. But Mills also supported an exemption to the law for the proposed data center at the former Jay paper mill, which was not included in the bill passed by the Legislature."
#DatacentersSuck #DatacenterMoratoriums #MainePol #MaineResists #ResistBigData #USPol #WorldPol
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So, I've had to deal with neighbors regarding #LightPollution and #NoisePollution (and luckily, was able to get them to understand what #SensoryPollution does to folks, especially those who are #ActuallyAutistic ). Now, imagine what it would be like living next to a source of both light and noise pollution and not be able to do a darn thing about it (other than move). That's what a lot of people (and animals) are having to deal with if they live to close to a #Datacenter!
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So, I've had to deal with neighbors regarding #LightPollution and #NoisePollution (and luckily, was able to get them to understand what #SensoryPollution does to folks, especially those who are #ActuallyAutistic ). Now, imagine what it would be like living next to a source of both light and noise pollution and not be able to do a darn thing about it (other than move). That's what a lot of people (and animals) are having to deal with if they live to close to a #Datacenter!
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More #DataCenters, more #environmental problems?
As #AI’s reach grows, the need for data centers multiplies. So, too, could the #EcologicalImpacts without hands-on mitigation.
By Ambika Kandasamy, Sep 24, 2025
Excerpt: "A December 2024 preprint of a study from researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology outlined the toll of AI-related #AirPollution. 'AI contributes substantially to air quality degradation and public health costs through the emission of various criteria #AirPollutants,' the authors wrote.
"Other forms of #pollution, such as light and noise, also could be problematic. Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied the links between #SensoryPollution and conservation. While he hasn’t researched #AIDatacenters’ impact on #wildlife specifically, he says AI data centers potentially could be '#SensoryDangerZones.'
" 'Sensory danger zones are basically where we have reason to believe that the amount of light and the amount of noise is exceeding thresholds by which you can imagine there being a fitness consequence for species,' Carter says. 'And they may not be able to carry out the necessary functions that they normally would.' Research by Carter and his colleagues has explored how #LightPollution, for example, could disrupt the dynamics between predator and prey species, such as #cougars and #MuleDeer. Their research also has looked into how #AnthropogenicSounds could affect reproduction in #birds including the #NorthernCardinal, #OakTitmouse and #BarnSwallow.
"To address some of these issues, experts recommend adopting sustainable strategies when building and operating AI data centers and when using AI. The decisions 'we make today will be having an impact on the public health for many years to come, due to the long life span for data center projects,' says Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and an author of the #AirPollution study."
Read more:
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2025/Fall/Conservation/AI-Data-Centers#Datacenters #EnvironmentalImpact #NoisePollution #EndangeredSpecies
#DataCenterMoratorium #AISucks
#NoDatacenters
#HyperscaleDatacenters #ResistDatacenters #Resistance
#FightBack #DatacentersSuck
#AIResistance #AISucks
#AIDataCenters -
More #DataCenters, more #environmental problems?
As #AI’s reach grows, the need for data centers multiplies. So, too, could the #EcologicalImpacts without hands-on mitigation.
By Ambika Kandasamy, Sep 24, 2025
Excerpt: "A December 2024 preprint of a study from researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology outlined the toll of AI-related #AirPollution. 'AI contributes substantially to air quality degradation and public health costs through the emission of various criteria #AirPollutants,' the authors wrote.
"Other forms of #pollution, such as light and noise, also could be problematic. Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied the links between #SensoryPollution and conservation. While he hasn’t researched #AIDatacenters’ impact on #wildlife specifically, he says AI data centers potentially could be '#SensoryDangerZones.'
" 'Sensory danger zones are basically where we have reason to believe that the amount of light and the amount of noise is exceeding thresholds by which you can imagine there being a fitness consequence for species,' Carter says. 'And they may not be able to carry out the necessary functions that they normally would.' Research by Carter and his colleagues has explored how #LightPollution, for example, could disrupt the dynamics between predator and prey species, such as #cougars and #MuleDeer. Their research also has looked into how #AnthropogenicSounds could affect reproduction in #birds including the #NorthernCardinal, #OakTitmouse and #BarnSwallow.
"To address some of these issues, experts recommend adopting sustainable strategies when building and operating AI data centers and when using AI. The decisions 'we make today will be having an impact on the public health for many years to come, due to the long life span for data center projects,' says Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and an author of the #AirPollution study."
Read more:
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2025/Fall/Conservation/AI-Data-Centers#Datacenters #EnvironmentalImpact #NoisePollution #EndangeredSpecies
#DataCenterMoratorium #AISucks
#NoDatacenters
#HyperscaleDatacenters #ResistDatacenters #Resistance
#FightBack #DatacentersSuck
#AIResistance #AISucks
#AIDataCenters -
More #DataCenters, more #environmental problems?
As #AI’s reach grows, the need for data centers multiplies. So, too, could the #EcologicalImpacts without hands-on mitigation.
By Ambika Kandasamy, Sep 24, 2025
Excerpt: "A December 2024 preprint of a study from researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology outlined the toll of AI-related #AirPollution. 'AI contributes substantially to air quality degradation and public health costs through the emission of various criteria #AirPollutants,' the authors wrote.
"Other forms of #pollution, such as light and noise, also could be problematic. Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied the links between #SensoryPollution and conservation. While he hasn’t researched #AIDatacenters’ impact on #wildlife specifically, he says AI data centers potentially could be '#SensoryDangerZones.'
" 'Sensory danger zones are basically where we have reason to believe that the amount of light and the amount of noise is exceeding thresholds by which you can imagine there being a fitness consequence for species,' Carter says. 'And they may not be able to carry out the necessary functions that they normally would.' Research by Carter and his colleagues has explored how #LightPollution, for example, could disrupt the dynamics between predator and prey species, such as #cougars and #MuleDeer. Their research also has looked into how #AnthropogenicSounds could affect reproduction in #birds including the #NorthernCardinal, #OakTitmouse and #BarnSwallow.
"To address some of these issues, experts recommend adopting sustainable strategies when building and operating AI data centers and when using AI. The decisions 'we make today will be having an impact on the public health for many years to come, due to the long life span for data center projects,' says Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and an author of the #AirPollution study."
Read more:
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2025/Fall/Conservation/AI-Data-Centers#Datacenters #EnvironmentalImpact #NoisePollution #EndangeredSpecies
#DataCenterMoratorium #AISucks
#NoDatacenters
#HyperscaleDatacenters #ResistDatacenters #Resistance
#FightBack #DatacentersSuck
#AIResistance #AISucks
#AIDataCenters -
More #DataCenters, more #environmental problems?
As #AI’s reach grows, the need for data centers multiplies. So, too, could the #EcologicalImpacts without hands-on mitigation.
By Ambika Kandasamy, Sep 24, 2025
Excerpt: "A December 2024 preprint of a study from researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology outlined the toll of AI-related #AirPollution. 'AI contributes substantially to air quality degradation and public health costs through the emission of various criteria #AirPollutants,' the authors wrote.
"Other forms of #pollution, such as light and noise, also could be problematic. Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied the links between #SensoryPollution and conservation. While he hasn’t researched #AIDatacenters’ impact on #wildlife specifically, he says AI data centers potentially could be '#SensoryDangerZones.'
" 'Sensory danger zones are basically where we have reason to believe that the amount of light and the amount of noise is exceeding thresholds by which you can imagine there being a fitness consequence for species,' Carter says. 'And they may not be able to carry out the necessary functions that they normally would.' Research by Carter and his colleagues has explored how #LightPollution, for example, could disrupt the dynamics between predator and prey species, such as #cougars and #MuleDeer. Their research also has looked into how #AnthropogenicSounds could affect reproduction in #birds including the #NorthernCardinal, #OakTitmouse and #BarnSwallow.
"To address some of these issues, experts recommend adopting sustainable strategies when building and operating AI data centers and when using AI. The decisions 'we make today will be having an impact on the public health for many years to come, due to the long life span for data center projects,' says Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and an author of the #AirPollution study."
Read more:
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2025/Fall/Conservation/AI-Data-Centers#Datacenters #EnvironmentalImpact #NoisePollution #EndangeredSpecies
#DataCenterMoratorium #AISucks
#NoDatacenters
#HyperscaleDatacenters #ResistDatacenters #Resistance
#FightBack #DatacentersSuck
#AIResistance #AISucks
#AIDataCenters -
More #DataCenters, more #environmental problems?
As #AI’s reach grows, the need for data centers multiplies. So, too, could the #EcologicalImpacts without hands-on mitigation.
By Ambika Kandasamy, Sep 24, 2025
Excerpt: "A December 2024 preprint of a study from researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and California Institute of Technology outlined the toll of AI-related #AirPollution. 'AI contributes substantially to air quality degradation and public health costs through the emission of various criteria #AirPollutants,' the authors wrote.
"Other forms of #pollution, such as light and noise, also could be problematic. Neil Carter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, has studied the links between #SensoryPollution and conservation. While he hasn’t researched #AIDatacenters’ impact on #wildlife specifically, he says AI data centers potentially could be '#SensoryDangerZones.'
" 'Sensory danger zones are basically where we have reason to believe that the amount of light and the amount of noise is exceeding thresholds by which you can imagine there being a fitness consequence for species,' Carter says. 'And they may not be able to carry out the necessary functions that they normally would.' Research by Carter and his colleagues has explored how #LightPollution, for example, could disrupt the dynamics between predator and prey species, such as #cougars and #MuleDeer. Their research also has looked into how #AnthropogenicSounds could affect reproduction in #birds including the #NorthernCardinal, #OakTitmouse and #BarnSwallow.
"To address some of these issues, experts recommend adopting sustainable strategies when building and operating AI data centers and when using AI. The decisions 'we make today will be having an impact on the public health for many years to come, due to the long life span for data center projects,' says Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and an author of the #AirPollution study."
Read more:
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2025/Fall/Conservation/AI-Data-Centers#Datacenters #EnvironmentalImpact #NoisePollution #EndangeredSpecies
#DataCenterMoratorium #AISucks
#NoDatacenters
#HyperscaleDatacenters #ResistDatacenters #Resistance
#FightBack #DatacentersSuck
#AIResistance #AISucks
#AIDataCenters -
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.
#NoisePollutionData 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.
#LightPollutionData 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.
#AirPollutionData 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.
#WaterWasteData 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 ConsumersData 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
-
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.
#NoisePollutionData 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.
#LightPollutionData 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.
#AirPollutionData 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.
#WaterWasteData 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 ConsumersData 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
-
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.
#NoisePollutionData 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.
#LightPollutionData 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.
#AirPollutionData 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.
#WaterWasteData 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 ConsumersData 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
-
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.
#NoisePollutionData 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.
#LightPollutionData 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.
#AirPollutionData 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.
#WaterWasteData 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 ConsumersData 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
-
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.
#NoisePollutionData 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.
#LightPollutionData 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.
#AirPollutionData 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.
#WaterWasteData 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 ConsumersData 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
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‘F*** this guy’: #Graduation speakers keep getting booed for talking about #ArtificialIntelligence
Commencement speakers want new graduates to feel optimistic about artificial intelligence — instead students are booing. New grads tell Josh Marcus that their fury about doddering policymakers and looming layoffs should be listened to
Saturday 23 May 2026 13:54 BST
"From coast to coast, commencement speakers have faced an audience of booing graduates each time they bring up artificial intelligence.
"The boos came when music executive #ScottBorchetta told the grads at Middle Tennessee State University, 'It’s a tool. Make it work for you.' The capped-and-gowned University of Central Florida crowd jeered when real estate executive #GloriaCaulfield called #AI the 'next industrial revolution.'
"But no one got it worse than former #Google CEO #EricSchmidt, whose May 15 speech at the University of Arizona was booed, nearly without interruption, for minutes on end.
" 'It was honestly one of the most surreal experiences,' Bailey Ekstrom, 21, an economics and political science graduate who was in the crowd, told The Independent. She had never seen campus opinion so unified, a mini-referendum suggesting the generation inheriting the post-AI world isn’t all that thrilled about it."
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‘F*** this guy’: #Graduation speakers keep getting booed for talking about #ArtificialIntelligence
Commencement speakers want new graduates to feel optimistic about artificial intelligence — instead students are booing. New grads tell Josh Marcus that their fury about doddering policymakers and looming layoffs should be listened to
Saturday 23 May 2026 13:54 BST
"From coast to coast, commencement speakers have faced an audience of booing graduates each time they bring up artificial intelligence.
"The boos came when music executive #ScottBorchetta told the grads at Middle Tennessee State University, 'It’s a tool. Make it work for you.' The capped-and-gowned University of Central Florida crowd jeered when real estate executive #GloriaCaulfield called #AI the 'next industrial revolution.'
"But no one got it worse than former #Google CEO #EricSchmidt, whose May 15 speech at the University of Arizona was booed, nearly without interruption, for minutes on end.
" 'It was honestly one of the most surreal experiences,' Bailey Ekstrom, 21, an economics and political science graduate who was in the crowd, told The Independent. She had never seen campus opinion so unified, a mini-referendum suggesting the generation inheriting the post-AI world isn’t all that thrilled about it."
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#SanfordME imposes emergency #DatacenterMoratorium, halting #MousamRiver project
The 91-day pause to allow for a task force to review concerns will affect a proposal for the 1,000-acre Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus.
SANFORD — "The City Council on Tuesday night approved a three-month emergency moratorium on data centers, temporarily stopping a proposal for a 1,000-acre center along the Mousam River.
"The council voted unanimously in favor of the 91-day moratorium, which puts a pause on the acceptance, approval or issuance of permits for any large scale data center proposal in the city. The moratorium takes effect immediately and will remain in place until Aug. 12.
"At the meeting, City Manager Steven Buck said there are plans to establish a task force dedicated to reviewing residents’ concerns and making recommendations for ordinance amendments on municipal regulations for data centers.
"After Maine Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a temporary statewide ban on #datacenters, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums.
"There have been at least eight data centers proposed across Maine, though some have been withdrawn. One that’s still on the table is the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus, which would cover about 1,000 acres of land along and near the Mousam River.
"At the council’s prior meeting on May 5, Sanford Mayor Becky Brink criticized Mills’ veto and said the city government would take action on its own.
" 'I feel like the state let us down,' she said. 'We as a city — and all of us have spoken — we are going to protect Sanford.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.md/xkkvV#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#SanfordME imposes emergency #DatacenterMoratorium, halting #MousamRiver project
The 91-day pause to allow for a task force to review concerns will affect a proposal for the 1,000-acre Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus.
SANFORD — "The City Council on Tuesday night approved a three-month emergency moratorium on data centers, temporarily stopping a proposal for a 1,000-acre center along the Mousam River.
"The council voted unanimously in favor of the 91-day moratorium, which puts a pause on the acceptance, approval or issuance of permits for any large scale data center proposal in the city. The moratorium takes effect immediately and will remain in place until Aug. 12.
"At the meeting, City Manager Steven Buck said there are plans to establish a task force dedicated to reviewing residents’ concerns and making recommendations for ordinance amendments on municipal regulations for data centers.
"After Maine Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a temporary statewide ban on #datacenters, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums.
"There have been at least eight data centers proposed across Maine, though some have been withdrawn. One that’s still on the table is the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus, which would cover about 1,000 acres of land along and near the Mousam River.
"At the council’s prior meeting on May 5, Sanford Mayor Becky Brink criticized Mills’ veto and said the city government would take action on its own.
" 'I feel like the state let us down,' she said. 'We as a city — and all of us have spoken — we are going to protect Sanford.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.md/xkkvV#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#SanfordME imposes emergency #DatacenterMoratorium, halting #MousamRiver project
The 91-day pause to allow for a task force to review concerns will affect a proposal for the 1,000-acre Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus.
SANFORD — "The City Council on Tuesday night approved a three-month emergency moratorium on data centers, temporarily stopping a proposal for a 1,000-acre center along the Mousam River.
"The council voted unanimously in favor of the 91-day moratorium, which puts a pause on the acceptance, approval or issuance of permits for any large scale data center proposal in the city. The moratorium takes effect immediately and will remain in place until Aug. 12.
"At the meeting, City Manager Steven Buck said there are plans to establish a task force dedicated to reviewing residents’ concerns and making recommendations for ordinance amendments on municipal regulations for data centers.
"After Maine Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a temporary statewide ban on #datacenters, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums.
"There have been at least eight data centers proposed across Maine, though some have been withdrawn. One that’s still on the table is the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus, which would cover about 1,000 acres of land along and near the Mousam River.
"At the council’s prior meeting on May 5, Sanford Mayor Becky Brink criticized Mills’ veto and said the city government would take action on its own.
" 'I feel like the state let us down,' she said. 'We as a city — and all of us have spoken — we are going to protect Sanford.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.md/xkkvV#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#SanfordME imposes emergency #DatacenterMoratorium, halting #MousamRiver project
The 91-day pause to allow for a task force to review concerns will affect a proposal for the 1,000-acre Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus.
SANFORD — "The City Council on Tuesday night approved a three-month emergency moratorium on data centers, temporarily stopping a proposal for a 1,000-acre center along the Mousam River.
"The council voted unanimously in favor of the 91-day moratorium, which puts a pause on the acceptance, approval or issuance of permits for any large scale data center proposal in the city. The moratorium takes effect immediately and will remain in place until Aug. 12.
"At the meeting, City Manager Steven Buck said there are plans to establish a task force dedicated to reviewing residents’ concerns and making recommendations for ordinance amendments on municipal regulations for data centers.
"After Maine Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a temporary statewide ban on #datacenters, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums.
"There have been at least eight data centers proposed across Maine, though some have been withdrawn. One that’s still on the table is the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus, which would cover about 1,000 acres of land along and near the Mousam River.
"At the council’s prior meeting on May 5, Sanford Mayor Becky Brink criticized Mills’ veto and said the city government would take action on its own.
" 'I feel like the state let us down,' she said. 'We as a city — and all of us have spoken — we are going to protect Sanford.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.md/xkkvV#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#SanfordME imposes emergency #DatacenterMoratorium, halting #MousamRiver project
The 91-day pause to allow for a task force to review concerns will affect a proposal for the 1,000-acre Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus.
SANFORD — "The City Council on Tuesday night approved a three-month emergency moratorium on data centers, temporarily stopping a proposal for a 1,000-acre center along the Mousam River.
"The council voted unanimously in favor of the 91-day moratorium, which puts a pause on the acceptance, approval or issuance of permits for any large scale data center proposal in the city. The moratorium takes effect immediately and will remain in place until Aug. 12.
"At the meeting, City Manager Steven Buck said there are plans to establish a task force dedicated to reviewing residents’ concerns and making recommendations for ordinance amendments on municipal regulations for data centers.
"After Maine Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a temporary statewide ban on #datacenters, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums.
"There have been at least eight data centers proposed across Maine, though some have been withdrawn. One that’s still on the table is the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus, which would cover about 1,000 acres of land along and near the Mousam River.
"At the council’s prior meeting on May 5, Sanford Mayor Becky Brink criticized Mills’ veto and said the city government would take action on its own.
" 'I feel like the state let us down,' she said. 'We as a city — and all of us have spoken — we are going to protect Sanford.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.md/xkkvV#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#Maine municipal leaders to vote on #DatacenterMoratoriums amid concerns
by Brad Rogers,WGME
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Updated Thu, May 21, 2026 at 5:33 AMSCARBOROUGH, Maine (WGME) -- "New massive data centers are being proposed in #ScarboroughME, #SanfordME, #JayME and other Maine communities, raising concerns among some Mainers in those communities.
"A developer wants to build the #ScarboroughTechnologyPark — a 140,000-square-foot data center with supporting infrastructure on 52 acres west of the Maine Turnpike and north of #TwoRodRoad.
"Town leaders in Scarborough say they need time to study the impacts of the proposed project, while some neighbors are already voicing opposition.
" 'This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, and it’s going to just destroy the neighborhood and the property values,' said Warren Hamilton, who opposes the #datacenter planned behind his home."
#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#Maine municipal leaders to vote on #DatacenterMoratoriums amid concerns
by Brad Rogers,WGME
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Updated Thu, May 21, 2026 at 5:33 AMSCARBOROUGH, Maine (WGME) -- "New massive data centers are being proposed in #ScarboroughME, #SanfordME, #JayME and other Maine communities, raising concerns among some Mainers in those communities.
"A developer wants to build the #ScarboroughTechnologyPark — a 140,000-square-foot data center with supporting infrastructure on 52 acres west of the Maine Turnpike and north of #TwoRodRoad.
"Town leaders in Scarborough say they need time to study the impacts of the proposed project, while some neighbors are already voicing opposition.
" 'This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, and it’s going to just destroy the neighborhood and the property values,' said Warren Hamilton, who opposes the #datacenter planned behind his home."
#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#Maine municipal leaders to vote on #DatacenterMoratoriums amid concerns
by Brad Rogers,WGME
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Updated Thu, May 21, 2026 at 5:33 AMSCARBOROUGH, Maine (WGME) -- "New massive data centers are being proposed in #ScarboroughME, #SanfordME, #JayME and other Maine communities, raising concerns among some Mainers in those communities.
"A developer wants to build the #ScarboroughTechnologyPark — a 140,000-square-foot data center with supporting infrastructure on 52 acres west of the Maine Turnpike and north of #TwoRodRoad.
"Town leaders in Scarborough say they need time to study the impacts of the proposed project, while some neighbors are already voicing opposition.
" 'This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, and it’s going to just destroy the neighborhood and the property values,' said Warren Hamilton, who opposes the #datacenter planned behind his home."
#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#Maine municipal leaders to vote on #DatacenterMoratoriums amid concerns
by Brad Rogers,WGME
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Updated Thu, May 21, 2026 at 5:33 AMSCARBOROUGH, Maine (WGME) -- "New massive data centers are being proposed in #ScarboroughME, #SanfordME, #JayME and other Maine communities, raising concerns among some Mainers in those communities.
"A developer wants to build the #ScarboroughTechnologyPark — a 140,000-square-foot data center with supporting infrastructure on 52 acres west of the Maine Turnpike and north of #TwoRodRoad.
"Town leaders in Scarborough say they need time to study the impacts of the proposed project, while some neighbors are already voicing opposition.
" 'This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, and it’s going to just destroy the neighborhood and the property values,' said Warren Hamilton, who opposes the #datacenter planned behind his home."
#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#Maine municipal leaders to vote on #DatacenterMoratoriums amid concerns
by Brad Rogers,WGME
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Updated Thu, May 21, 2026 at 5:33 AMSCARBOROUGH, Maine (WGME) -- "New massive data centers are being proposed in #ScarboroughME, #SanfordME, #JayME and other Maine communities, raising concerns among some Mainers in those communities.
"A developer wants to build the #ScarboroughTechnologyPark — a 140,000-square-foot data center with supporting infrastructure on 52 acres west of the Maine Turnpike and north of #TwoRodRoad.
"Town leaders in Scarborough say they need time to study the impacts of the proposed project, while some neighbors are already voicing opposition.
" 'This is a pretty quiet neighborhood, and it’s going to just destroy the neighborhood and the property values,' said Warren Hamilton, who opposes the #datacenter planned behind his home."
#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#BrunswickME considers pause on #datacenter proposals
There will be a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on June 1.
by Katie Langley, Posted May 19, 2026, Updated May 20
"Brunswick is among several Maine municipalities considering moratoriums on large-scale data centers after Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily restricted such developments.
"At a Monday night meeting, Brunswick’s town councilors set a June 1 public hearing on the proposed moratorium. If passed, the moratorium would give the town 180 days to gather information on the impact of data centers and set regulations on their development.
"The drafted moratorium closely mirrors other temporary policies being considered in towns and cities including #WestbrookME, which uses the same law firm as Brunswick.
"Town councilors on Monday removed a section in the draft moratorium that defined data centers as having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet or electrical capacities of at least 20 megawatts. Instead, data center projects with an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt or more would be prohibited during the moratorium period.
"Brunswick has an existing, smaller-scale data center on #BrunswickLanding, owned by internet company #FirstLight, that town leaders have said has not been an issue and does not store artificial intelligence data.
"Town Manager Julia Henze said Monday night that there are no proposals for data centers on the horizon for Brunswick, but a moratorium would give the council time to update town ordinances and be prepared for such projects.
"Other municipalities, including #SanfordME and #ScarboroughME, are considering data center moratoriums in response to already proposed projects."
Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/20/brunswick-considers-pause-on-data-center-proposals/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tt3nk#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacenterMoratoriums #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#BrunswickME considers pause on #datacenter proposals
There will be a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on June 1.
by Katie Langley, Posted May 19, 2026, Updated May 20
"Brunswick is among several Maine municipalities considering moratoriums on large-scale data centers after Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily restricted such developments.
"At a Monday night meeting, Brunswick’s town councilors set a June 1 public hearing on the proposed moratorium. If passed, the moratorium would give the town 180 days to gather information on the impact of data centers and set regulations on their development.
"The drafted moratorium closely mirrors other temporary policies being considered in towns and cities including #WestbrookME, which uses the same law firm as Brunswick.
"Town councilors on Monday removed a section in the draft moratorium that defined data centers as having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet or electrical capacities of at least 20 megawatts. Instead, data center projects with an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt or more would be prohibited during the moratorium period.
"Brunswick has an existing, smaller-scale data center on #BrunswickLanding, owned by internet company #FirstLight, that town leaders have said has not been an issue and does not store artificial intelligence data.
"Town Manager Julia Henze said Monday night that there are no proposals for data centers on the horizon for Brunswick, but a moratorium would give the council time to update town ordinances and be prepared for such projects.
"Other municipalities, including #SanfordME and #ScarboroughME, are considering data center moratoriums in response to already proposed projects."
Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/20/brunswick-considers-pause-on-data-center-proposals/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tt3nk#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacenterMoratoriums #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#BrunswickME considers pause on #datacenter proposals
There will be a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on June 1.
by Katie Langley, Posted May 19, 2026, Updated May 20
"Brunswick is among several Maine municipalities considering moratoriums on large-scale data centers after Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily restricted such developments.
"At a Monday night meeting, Brunswick’s town councilors set a June 1 public hearing on the proposed moratorium. If passed, the moratorium would give the town 180 days to gather information on the impact of data centers and set regulations on their development.
"The drafted moratorium closely mirrors other temporary policies being considered in towns and cities including #WestbrookME, which uses the same law firm as Brunswick.
"Town councilors on Monday removed a section in the draft moratorium that defined data centers as having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet or electrical capacities of at least 20 megawatts. Instead, data center projects with an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt or more would be prohibited during the moratorium period.
"Brunswick has an existing, smaller-scale data center on #BrunswickLanding, owned by internet company #FirstLight, that town leaders have said has not been an issue and does not store artificial intelligence data.
"Town Manager Julia Henze said Monday night that there are no proposals for data centers on the horizon for Brunswick, but a moratorium would give the council time to update town ordinances and be prepared for such projects.
"Other municipalities, including #SanfordME and #ScarboroughME, are considering data center moratoriums in response to already proposed projects."
Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/20/brunswick-considers-pause-on-data-center-proposals/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tt3nk#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacenterMoratoriums #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#BrunswickME considers pause on #datacenter proposals
There will be a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on June 1.
by Katie Langley, Posted May 19, 2026, Updated May 20
"Brunswick is among several Maine municipalities considering moratoriums on large-scale data centers after Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily restricted such developments.
"At a Monday night meeting, Brunswick’s town councilors set a June 1 public hearing on the proposed moratorium. If passed, the moratorium would give the town 180 days to gather information on the impact of data centers and set regulations on their development.
"The drafted moratorium closely mirrors other temporary policies being considered in towns and cities including #WestbrookME, which uses the same law firm as Brunswick.
"Town councilors on Monday removed a section in the draft moratorium that defined data centers as having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet or electrical capacities of at least 20 megawatts. Instead, data center projects with an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt or more would be prohibited during the moratorium period.
"Brunswick has an existing, smaller-scale data center on #BrunswickLanding, owned by internet company #FirstLight, that town leaders have said has not been an issue and does not store artificial intelligence data.
"Town Manager Julia Henze said Monday night that there are no proposals for data centers on the horizon for Brunswick, but a moratorium would give the council time to update town ordinances and be prepared for such projects.
"Other municipalities, including #SanfordME and #ScarboroughME, are considering data center moratoriums in response to already proposed projects."
Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/20/brunswick-considers-pause-on-data-center-proposals/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tt3nk#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacenterMoratoriums #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks -
#BrunswickME considers pause on #datacenter proposals
There will be a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on June 1.
by Katie Langley, Posted May 19, 2026, Updated May 20
"Brunswick is among several Maine municipalities considering moratoriums on large-scale data centers after Gov. #JanetMills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily restricted such developments.
"At a Monday night meeting, Brunswick’s town councilors set a June 1 public hearing on the proposed moratorium. If passed, the moratorium would give the town 180 days to gather information on the impact of data centers and set regulations on their development.
"The drafted moratorium closely mirrors other temporary policies being considered in towns and cities including #WestbrookME, which uses the same law firm as Brunswick.
"Town councilors on Monday removed a section in the draft moratorium that defined data centers as having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet or electrical capacities of at least 20 megawatts. Instead, data center projects with an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt or more would be prohibited during the moratorium period.
"Brunswick has an existing, smaller-scale data center on #BrunswickLanding, owned by internet company #FirstLight, that town leaders have said has not been an issue and does not store artificial intelligence data.
"Town Manager Julia Henze said Monday night that there are no proposals for data centers on the horizon for Brunswick, but a moratorium would give the council time to update town ordinances and be prepared for such projects.
"Other municipalities, including #SanfordME and #ScarboroughME, are considering data center moratoriums in response to already proposed projects."
Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/20/brunswick-considers-pause-on-data-center-proposals/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tt3nk#ResistBigData #MaineResists
#MainePol #DatacenterMoratoriums #DatacentersSuck #Datacenters #NoisePollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyConsumption #AISucks