Data centers face backlash from midterm results
Voters across the country backed measures to limit or ban data center development, prompting concerns about construction in Texas and Georgia. Texas officials have pledged to halt new projects until safeguards are established, while Georgia Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms said she would pause construction after taking office; OpenAI also announced plans to improve community engagement.
A CBS News report examines backlash against data centers after voters approved measures ranging from development restrictions to outright bans. Texas has become a major data center market, with hundreds of operational, planned and under-construction facilities, but critics say rural communities lack adequate protections. The Texas governor has promised to halt new construction until safeguards are in place.
Georgia Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms said she plans to sign an executive order pausing new data center construction and reviewing the incentives offered to developers. OpenAI responded to the criticism by saying it would stop using controversial nondisclosure agreements, provide residents with construction plans and emphasize the long-term job benefits of its facilities.