COUNTERPOINT: It’s time to halt the AI data center attack

The article, a counterpoint by Mitch Jones of Food & Water Watch, asserts that the burgeoning growth of AI data centers is the primary driver behind skyrocketing energy prices and increased inflation in the United States, rather than geopolitical conflicts. Jones highlights that the nation's recent boom in hyperscale data center construction, fueled by the demand for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, is having severe environmental, economic, and social impacts on communities nationwide. Food & Water Watch's analysis projects that energy demand from these facilities could triple by 2030, consuming up to 12% of total national energy and predominantly relying on fossil fuels, thereby exacerbating the climate crisis. Furthermore, the article points out the massive water requirements of these data centers, estimating up to 720 billion gallons annually by 2028 for cooling, which strains water supplies in communities already facing shortages. The direct economic consequence for Americans is also emphasized, with data centers largely responsible for utility requests for $31 billion in consumer rate increases for 2025 and a 31% surge in average residential electricity rates between 2020 and 2025. In response to these escalating issues, Food & Water Watch initiated a call for a nationwide moratorium on new AI data center construction in October, a demand subsequently supported by 250 other organizations. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has since introduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to enact such a moratorium. Concurrently, local leaders across the country are actively rejecting numerous new data center proposals and pursuing local and statewide halts to industry expansion, indicating widespread opposition to the unbridled growth of the sector.