What are data centers, and why are Arizona neighbors pushing back?
Residents in communities across Arizona, including Ahwatukee, Glendale and Flagstaff, are organizing against proposed data centers they believe do not belong near their neighborhoods. The article explains how data centers operate and notes calls for more research and standards as development expands.
Data center opposition is growing across Arizona as more than 100 facilities operate in the state and at least 50 additional projects are planned. Residents in Glendale, Flagstaff and Phoenix’s Ahwatukee neighborhood have held meetings and spoken publicly against proposed facilities, citing concerns about their location and daily neighborhood impacts.
Dr. Kevin Hamlen, a computer science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, described data centers as centralized facilities that house computing infrastructure, servers and storage. He said the industry is expanding for efficiency reasons but argued that more rigorous research and standards are needed to assess the effects of the growth.