Residents protest data centers in Wilkes-Barre | 28/22 News
Residents in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, participated in a national day of protest against AI data centers, raising concerns about their rapid expansion and lack of public input. Speakers highlighted potential adverse effects on local electricity grids and water resources, urging local supervisors to implement protective ordinances.
On a recent weekend, residents in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, participated in an AI Data Center National Day of Protest. This local event was part of a broader national effort aimed at slowing the proliferation of data centers across the United States. Attendees gathered despite the rain to hear from various politicians and advocates who articulated concerns regarding the rapid expansion of AI data centers.
A primary concern articulated was the perceived "fast tracking" of these developments with minimal public input. Speakers also emphasized the need for local supervisors to draft and enact ordinances designed to safeguard critical infrastructure. Specifically, they pointed to the potential strain on the electric grid and the impact on local waterways and water basins, noting that data centers often discharge their cooling system waste into these water sources.
The protest in Wilkes-Barre was organized by the grassroots nonprofit Humans First, which coordinated similar demonstrations in over four dozen other cities nationwide.