Big Tech is pouring money into local PR campaigns to win support for the data centres it needs. Opposition to the buildings is spreading across the United States. They are holding town halls, dropping tax demands and sponsoring community groups. That is according to a Bloomberg feature and a Wall Street Journal report.
The scale of the pushback is large. Local opposition blocked or delayed at least 75 data centre projects in the first three months of this year, Bloomberg reported, citing the research group Data Center Watch. Those projects were worth about $130bn. That figure approaches the total value of projects stalled in all of 2025.
The fights are spread across the country. Opposition has been strongest in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia. There, 17 projects have stalled, Bloomberg said. In Michigan alone, more than 50 communities have passed or proposed moratoriums. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is now moving to repeal tax breaks for the sites.
Why people are angry
Much of the anger centres on water and energy, according to Bloomberg, which cited data from the firm Hamlet. The large, windowless buildings have become a symbol for wider worries about AI. Residents point to higher utility bills, strained water supplies and the prospect of job losses.
