The fight against AI data centers is just beginning
A yard sign opposing a planned data center is displayed along Route 54 in Mount Carmel Township Northumberland County. | Image: Getty Images This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the data center buildout, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes on Sunday at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Years before the AI boom threatened local power grids, a small group of pr
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Communities across the US and beyond are pushing back against planned AI data center construction, causing some companies to reconsider their buildout plans. The resistance has historical precedent: in 2015, a tech company announced plans to build a data center in a small Irish town, promising renewable energy use and community benefits like educational spaces and tree replanting. Local residents filed complaints about expected noise, light pollution, flooding, traffic, and wildlife impacts, and while the project was initially approved, continued legal challenges ultimately led the company to abandon the plans. This earlier battle set a template for current community opposition efforts against data center expansion.
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