In the United States, public opposition to data centers is growing, with municipalities halting plans for at least 20 projects in the first quarter of 2026. These cancellations represent a loss of $41.7 billion in potential investments. The backlash is particularly focused on large-scale data centers that support artificial intelligence, which have faced criticism for contributing to local air pollution and increasing electricity costs.
Despite the concerns, data centers also provide significant economic advantages, including job creation and increased tax revenues for local governments. The construction of these facilities surged from $15 billion in 2022 to over $35 billion by 2025. This growth is largely driven by the demand for enhanced computing power from AI companies.
Efforts to impose moratoriums on data center development are gaining traction across various states. Recently, Maine’s legislature passed a temporary halt on new constructions, although the governor vetoed the bill while expressing support for limiting future projects, except for one in the struggling town of Jay. At least 12 other states are currently considering similar measures.