US Voters Push Back Against Big Tech’s AI Data Center Expansion

By Staff, Agencies

US voters have dealt a setback to major technology companies by backing measures restricting or banning large data centers in dozens of cities during Tuesday's midterm elections, amid growing concerns over their environmental impact, energy consumption, infrastructure demands and effects on local communities.

More than three dozen measures tightening restrictions on data centers had passed, according to Redbud Consulting, while nearly 600 jurisdictions across the country have already imposed restrictions, according to Electric Choice. 

The opposition comes as Meta, Google, Microsoft and Amazon invest billions in infrastructure to support the expanding artificial intelligence industry.

In Janesville, Wisconsin, voters secured the right to decide through a referendum whether major developments can proceed at a former General Motors site targeted for an $8 billion data center project. 

Meanwhile, residents of Piqua, Ohio, overwhelmingly backed a ban on facilities exceeding 25 megawatts, putting Meta's planned investment of more than $1 billion at risk.

Similar opposition emerged in Ottawa, Kansas, where residents voted to prohibit large data centers. Critics argue that such projects place excessive pressure on local resources while offering relatively few permanent jobs after construction.

The growing resistance reflects a broader demand for transparency and greater community control over development decisions, with concerns about environmental consequences, electricity consumption, water resources and quality of life increasingly outweighing promises of investment and employment.