Food & Water Watch says midterm results rebuke rapid AI data center buildout
Food & Water Watch said election results show voters are rejecting rapid construction of AI data centers and urged Congress to impose a national moratorium on new facilities. The group cited candidates across multiple states who campaigned against data centers, while noting that the facilities consume significant amounts of electricity and water.
Food & Water Watch said candidates who opposed AI data center development performed well in elections across states including Texas, Michigan, Oregon, New Mexico, Ohio, Georgia and New York. The group also identified congressional and Senate candidates who supported national or statewide moratoriums, including Senator-elects Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan.
Executive Director Wenonah Hauter called on congressional Democrats to reject a pending permitting-reform bill and enact a national pause on new data center construction. The organization argued that communities need time to assess the industry's impacts, including substantial electricity and water consumption, and also criticized Elon Musk's election spending in support of his AI ambitions.