Are data centers bad? Here's why they exist, and face pushback.

Key Points:

• Data centers, foundational to internet and cloud services since the 1940s, have dramatically expanded in size and number due to the rise of generative AI, with modern facilities often spanning millions of square feet and primarily located in suburban or rural areas.
• These AI-focused data centers require immense energy and water for continuous operation and cooling, leading to significant environmental concerns and public opposition, particularly regarding water consumption that can equal that of tens of thousands of people.
• Local communities have increasingly pushed back against data center construction through moratoriums and referendums, successfully blocking or delaying numerous projects worth billions, as these centers raise issues around resource use, electricity rates, and employment practices.
• Despite opposition, data centers contribute economically mainly through construction jobs, though permanent employment after completion is relatively low; political figures like former President Trump have promoted data centers as vital economic assets.
• The case of Janesville, Wisconsin, exemplifies the tension between economic development and community resistance, where a proposed data center on a contaminated site faced local activism and a referendum, illustrating broader challenges faced by rural and suburban areas hosting these facilities.