Data center construction is booming across the country, specifically rural communities

The United States is experiencing a rapid expansion in data center construction, with new analysis from the Pew Research Center indicating over 1,500 facilities are in development, and 67% of these are planned for rural America. States like Virginia, Texas, and Georgia are leading in planned data center projects, largely due to the demands of artificial intelligence, which requires significantly more energy (50-150 kilowatts per rack) than traditional data centers. Critics highlight the massive energy consumption and limited local job creation associated with these facilities. In response, Democratic lawmakers Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York announced the 'AI Data Center Moratorium Act' in March, seeking to pause the development of new AI data centers. Conversely, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in July 2025, designating data centers as critical national security infrastructure to secure technological dominance. In a notable development, the Maine legislature has passed the first state-level moratorium on AI data centers. This measure, which would halt approvals for any center requiring over 20 megawatts of power until October 2027, has been sent to Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who has yet to decide whether to sign it into law.