Data Center Revolt bus tour stops in Lincoln
The AI Data Center Revolt bus tour, organized by Amy Kremer's Humans First, made a stop in Lincoln, Illinois, highlighting growing community opposition to hyperscale data center development. Local residents, like Renee Sommer of Logan County, voiced concerns about environmental impacts and the extensive power demands of these facilities. The tour advocates for local control and protective ordinances, challenging the view that data centers are universally beneficial.
The AI Data Center Revolt bus tour, organized by Amy Kremer's Humans First, recently visited Lincoln, Illinois, as part of a national tour. The organization, which identifies as conservative, aims to promote local control and protective measures for communities regarding AI development and data center construction across the U.S. Kremer, a prominent Trump supporter, expressed disagreement with President Trump's stance that communities should embrace data centers to avoid being "backwards and poor," advocating instead for communities to have a stronger say in such developments.
The tour highlighted growing bipartisan opposition to data centers, with local residents in Logan County, Illinois, raising concerns. Renee Sommer, a real estate broker, voiced her opposition to a proposed data center in Latham, Illinois, citing environmental and wildlife impacts. Rachel Stechman, founder of Logan County Indivisible, a local opposition group, acknowledged the bipartisan nature of the movement, emphasizing that many municipalities are unprepared for the complexities of building and operating data centers and lack adequate ordinances.
The article notes that the boom in hyperscale data centers is driven by the significant power demands of AI models. Opponents, including those at the Lincoln stop, are seeking "guardrails and safety mechanisms" to protect local resources. While Humans First is not entirely anti-AI, it champions a small-government approach where local entities integrate protections rather than federal or state moratoriums.