Editorial Highlights Opposition to Data Centers in Colorado
An editorial from the Denver Gazette criticizes the escalating opposition to data centers in Colorado, highlighting enacted moratoriums in municipalities like Denver and Monument. The article also points to allegations of foreign influence behind the anti-data center movement, leading to calls for a U.S. Attorney General investigation. It argues that this opposition, fueled by misinformation, threatens technological leadership.
An editorial in the Denver Gazette criticizes the growing opposition to data centers in Colorado, describing it as an exaggerated and misleading campaign. The piece notes that while data centers are essential infrastructure for today's AI-driven internet, they have faced significant public outcry, including staged protests and public hearings.
The editorial highlights that this opposition has led some municipalities, including Denver and Monument, to enact moratoriums on new data center construction. It attributes the consternation among ruling Democrats in the state legislature to an "information overload" and the politicization of the issue during an election year. It also references efforts by politicians and advocacy groups to leverage public concerns.
The article further details recent news reports about members of Congress urging the U.S. Attorney General to investigate allegations of foreign influence in domestic anti-data center campaigns. It cites research from the Institute for Policy Innovation and a report from the American Energy Institute, which claims more than $39 million in foreign funding from European billionaires and foundations has flowed into activist groups aiming to block data center development in the U.S.
Researcher Bartlett Cleland is quoted stating that these are not "isolated or organic local protests" but rather a "manufactured opposition campaign bankrolled from abroad" with the goal of exporting America's AI future elsewhere. The editorial concludes by emphasizing that while Coloradans' right to dissent is sacrosanct, the concerns about foreign influence offer crucial perspective on a "dubious controversy."