Americans Increasingly Concerned About Environmental Impact of Data Centers, Poll Finds
A national poll reveals a growing, bipartisan concern among Americans about the environmental impacts, electricity consumption, and water usage of data centers. A majority support limiting new data center construction and requiring clean energy sources. The public's concern has notably increased over the past year, especially regarding AI's environmental footprint.
A new national poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago reveals a significant increase in public concern regarding the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence and data centers. The survey, conducted in July 2026, found that 53% of Americans are "extremely" or "very" concerned about AI's environmental footprint, a rise from 41% the previous year, with Democrats showing the sharpest increase in worry.
Beyond environmental issues, the poll highlights broader anxieties about data centers' local effects, particularly on electricity prices and water supplies. Respondents, such as Eriech Tapia from Arlington, Virginia, noted the proliferation of data centers, while Gedeon Kebede from Cincinnati, Ohio, expressed concerns about water usage impacting agriculture. Experts like Fengqi You from Cornell University and Erik Nordman from Michigan State University's Institute of Public Utilities underscored the substantial, albeit localized, water and electricity demands of these facilities, with projections indicating data centers could consume 11.8% of U.S. electricity by 2030.
The survey also indicates a desire for government intervention, with about 60% of Americans, including majorities of both Democrats and Republicans, supporting limits on new data center construction. Furthermore, two-thirds of adults favor requiring data centers to use clean energy sources. While some, like Mary Fisher from Jacksonville, Florida, remain unconcerned due to lack of local impact, the poll reflects a growing bipartisan apprehension about the rapid expansion of data centers across the U.S., which are increasingly planned for rural areas.