In a divided America, left and right unite to oppose artificial intelligence data centers
Across the US, an unlikely bipartisan coalition is forming to oppose new data center developments, driven by concerns over dwindling farmland, declining water supplies, and rising electricity costs. Cass County, Nebraska, enacted a moratorium on data center development, impacting potential projects by Tenaska and CyrusOne. In New Mexico, Oracle's Project Jupiter faces a legal challenge over water rights, with the Supreme Court halting well drilling authorization.
An unexpected bipartisan coalition is emerging across the United States to oppose the rapid development of data centers, fueled by the artificial intelligence boom. This opposition, spanning conservative farmers and environmental groups, stems from concerns over the loss of farmland, declining water resources, and increasing electricity demand and costs. This national trend has forced elected officials at all levels to adapt to a shifting political landscape.
In rural eastern Nebraska, Cass County officials recently approved a 12-month moratorium on data center development. This action could impact energy company Tenaska's plans for a potential 1,300-acre site near Murray and Beaver Lake, which activists fear could include a data center and an associated natural gas power plant. Separately, data center operator CyrusOne holds nearly 400 acres near Plattsmouth in the same county, although no specific development has been announced. Residents like fifth-generation farmer Judy Stroy express alarm over the amount of land being acquired, while the Nebraska Sierra Club advocates for communities' rights to refuse such developments.
Further south, in New Mexico, Oracle's ambitious $165 billion Project Jupiter data center complex near the Mexican border is facing significant opposition over water scarcity. Despite Oracle's pledges to invest in water systems and agricultural technology for efficiency, a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity led the New Mexico Supreme Court to halt authorization for well drilling to supply water for the project's construction. Republican candidate for the Doña Ana County Commission, Samantha Barncastle Salopek, highlights the cross-partisan concern among farmers and ranchers about the impact on dwindling water supplies in a drought-stricken state.
Nationally, several governors have taken action to regulate data center expansion. New York's Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul imposed a one-year ban on large data centers, while Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro announced his administration would no longer prioritize projects that don't meet certain standards. Texas' Republican Governor Greg Abbott declared a halt on new data center approvals pending audits on their impact on the state's electrical grid. This demonstrates a growing consensus among politicians from both parties that data center development requires stricter oversight, despite some, like former President Donald Trump and union leaders, supporting the economic and job creation benefits.