Plans for the proposed data center in Nottingham, New Hampshire, included repurposing existing structures and developing a 4-acre building.
Nottingham City Planning Application
Hours before a scheduled meeting on a Nottingham, New Hampshire, data center proposal — which had to be moved to a larger venue because of growing backlash — the developer abruptly withdrew the plans."There was a lot of opposition, so I'm not surprised," a coordinator for Nottingham's Planning Department, Tracey Stickney, told Business Insider on Tuesday, adding that it was "nice" to see people come together and care about their local community.She said she still expected residents of the town, with a population of about 5,300, would show up to the meeting to voice their concerns.The proposed project, backed by local developer Thomas Moulton through Nottingham Business Park LLC, had sparked mounting backlash from residents worried about environmental impacts, noise, and the transformation of their rural town.A Change.org petition opposing the project drew more than 25,000 signatures and support from residents who feared the development would fundamentally alter Nottingham's character.The fight in Nottingham is part of a growing wave of resistance to data center development across the US, as communities from Virginia to Georgia to Texas push back on projects they say strain water supplies, consume enormous amounts of electricity, generate constant noise, and transform rural landscapes into industrial corridors.As Big Tech companies race to build the infrastructure needed to power AI and cloud computing, residents and local officials have increasingly demanded tighter regulations and environmental scrutiny — particularly in smaller towns unaccustomed to hosting massive digital infrastructure projects.
