Rage against the machine: a California community rallied against a datacenter – and won

Residents of Monterey Park, California rallied against the construction of a large data center in their community, leading to a 45-day moratorium on data center construction and a pledge to explore a permanent ban. The community organized quickly, holding a teach-in and rally that drew hundreds of participants, and collected nearly 5,000 signatures on a petition opposing the project. The data center opposition movement has spread across the US, with local communities delaying or cancelling $98 billion worth of data center projects in a 3-month period in 2025. Concerns include the strain on power grids, environmental impacts, and rising energy costs.