Americans are increasingly opposed to data centers, Penn polling finds
A new University of Pennsylvania poll reveals a significant increase in American adults opposing new data center construction in their communities, with 61% now against such projects. This opposition has grown by 12 percentage points since earlier this year and spans across political party lines. The findings contrast with stable public views on AI regulation, highlighting a specific concern regarding data center development.
New polling from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center indicates a substantial rise in public opposition to data center construction across the United States. The latest survey, conducted between June and July, found that 61% of American adults are against new data centers in their local areas, marking a 12-percentage-point increase from a similar poll earlier in the year.
Shawn Patterson Jr., an Annenberg Public Policy Center research analyst, noted that this increase in opposition is the most significant shift among all AI-related queries in their survey, contrasting with otherwise largely stable views on AI regulation. The sentiment against data centers crosses party lines, with majorities of Democrats (69%), Republicans (54%), and independents (53%) expressing disapproval.
The article illustrates this growing sentiment with examples of community organizing against data centers in various southeastern Pennsylvania locales, including Pennhurst, Limerick Township, and Plymouth Township. Residents in Plymouth Township, for instance, have been actively fighting a proposed project at a former steel mill site for several months. In response to these local concerns, some activists are advocating for a three-year moratorium on all new data center projects, while state lawmakers are reportedly considering new legislation to impose checks on the industry.