Huge Data Center Projects Challenged by Nonprofit Citizens Group

“Data Center Resistance” and its accompanying podcast are connecting communities confronting large-scale projects across the United States

A new Ohio-based nonprofit organization is attempting to bring national attention—and national coordination—to the growing number of communities fighting large data center developments.

"Data Center Resistance" was formed to support residents concerned about the rapid construction of the massive so-called “hyperscale” computing facilities used to power artificial intelligence. The organization's website features links to breaking data center stories from around the country and a national data center petition. It is funded exclusively by small dollar donations from concerned citizens.

https://datacenterresistance.org/

The organization has also launched the Data Center Resistance Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Each podcast episode features an interview with a community activist or organizer from a different part of the United States. Guests describe proposed developments in their communities, the concerns raised by residents and the strategies being used to challenge those projects.

The podcast is the only national program devoted specifically to the community struggle against large data center projects. The podcast seeks to identify tactics used by AI companies to ram through projects, and strategies local activists can use to push back.

Data Center Resistance has launched the first national podcast focused on the fight against massive data centers.

Not a Republican vs. Democrat Issue

Recent polling shows that 71% of Americans are opposed to large data center projects, and this opinion doesn’t break down on party lines. Residents from conservative rural communities, Democratic suburbs and politically mixed regions are raising many of the same objections.

And those concerns are about basic quality of life issues. How much water will a facility consume? Will electricity rates increase? How much noise will cooling equipment and backup generators produce? What will happen to nearby homes, farms, wildlife habitats and undeveloped land?

Ohio at the Center of the Expansion- thanks to John Kasich

Ohio has emerged as ground zero for the struggle over data center expansion. Besides its natural assets such as abundant land and water, it turns out that the AI industry was handed billions of dollars in secret tax breaks by the administration of Governor John Kasich. 

The tax breaks were handed out to some of the wealthiest corporations in America while Kasich was seeking support for his failed 2016 presidential campaign.

The generosity of the tax breaks is enormous, and Ohio is bound by them for up to 40 years. The public was not informed of these giveaways until recently, and there was never a public debate or vote on them.

Now local Ohio communities are dealing with the fallout of this behind the scenes deal between politicians and the AI industry. It remains to be seen whether nonprofits like Data Center Resistance will level this playing field.