Americans overwhelmingly oppose data centers. Women most of all.
A recent Gallup poll indicates that over two-thirds of American adults oppose data center construction, with women showing stronger opposition due to environmental and health concerns. Key issues cited include water scarcity, noise and air pollution, and excessive energy use, often impacting vulnerable communities. This widespread opposition is becoming a significant political issue, influencing campaigns and policy discussions across the country.
A recent Gallup poll reveals that more than two-thirds of American adults oppose the construction of data centers, with women expressing significantly stronger opposition than men. The study, authored by Gallup senior editor Jeffrey Jones, found 55% of women strongly oppose data centers compared to 43% of men. This resistance is largely driven by environmental and health concerns, including water scarcity, noise and air pollution, and excessive energy use, which can lead to higher utility bills and increased health complications, particularly in low-income communities of color.
Experts and activists, such as Danny Cendejas of MediaJustice, affirm that women, along with trans, queer, and nonbinary individuals, are often at the forefront of these grassroots movements. Cendejas highlighted how data centers exacerbate existing environmental burdens in places like Memphis, Tennessee, and Amarillo, Texas, targeting already impacted Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Ana Carolina de Assis Nunes, a researcher at Data & Society Research Institute, noted similar trends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where women, especially mothers, lead opposition efforts.
Data centers have rapidly become a pressing political issue, with politicians across both parties now taking stances against them. During a House hearing, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez presented water samples from Morgan County, Georgia, alleging contamination after a Meta data center was built, a claim Meta disputes. Additionally, first-time candidate Daisy Maldonado is running for county commissioner in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, specifically opposing Project Jupiter, a major data center, and has received an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, further elevating the national conversation on community resistance and environmental accountability.