As local moratoria spread from Georgia to Virginia to the Midwest, a new AP–NORC poll reveals something striking: Americans are now more worried about the environmental impact of AI and data centers than they are about aviation, meat production, or cryptocurrency.
This week’s Zoning In tracks a growing disconnect between industry momentum and community confidence. Dozens of projects remain paused or withdrawn amid questions about water, power, and transparency — from Jones County’s 90-day moratorium to Athens, GA’s greenbelt vote and Stafford County, VA’s record 750-foot setback.
Moving From Reaction to Readiness
At Milldam Public Relations, we believe it’s time for developers and operators to move from reaction to readiness. That’s why we launched our Community Risk & Readiness Assessment, a proactive service to gauge local sentiment before site acquisition — helping clients identify red flags, reduce regulatory risk, and build authentic community trust.
Poll: Americans Now Fear AI’s Environmental Impact More Than Meat, Crypto, or Air Travel
A new AP-NORC / University of Chicago Energy Policy Institute poll finds that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned about AI’s environmental impact — higher than concern about aviation, meat production, or Bitcoin mining. Respondents cited the massive electricity and cooling-water demand of AI data centers, which the International Energy Agency says could more than double global data center power consumption by 2030, much of it still fossil-fueled. Some see AI as an accelerator of clean energy; most believe it’s more likely to strain the grid, raise bills, and worsen climate impacts.
A Growing NIMBY Movement Could Upend the Data Center Boom
A nationwide backlash is threatening to stall America’s AI-driven data center expansion. From Google’s scrapped Indianapolis project to new restrictions in Tucson and rural Kentucky, local opposition has delayed or canceled more than $64 billion in proposed facilities across 28 states. Critics cite noise, water, and energy use as key issues—while developers and governors continue to tout massive economic benefits. With hyperscalers like Meta and OpenAI shifting builds to remote regions, the clash between digital growth and local resistance shows no signs of cooling.
Commissioners Tighten Proposed Data Center Rules Before Moratorium Expires
Coweta County officials are fine-tuning their long-awaited data center ordinance as a November 3 moratorium deadline looms. The latest draft reinstates community meeting requirements for projects on light industrial land and ties approval to infrastructure availability rather than comprehensive plan “character areas.” Commissioners also agreed to require bonds for decommissioning, restrict open-loop cooling systems, and mandate construction and transportation management plans to mitigate heavy traffic. The next public hearing is slated for November 18.
Commission Tables Vote on Proposed Data Center in Henry County
In Indiana, the Henry County Planning Commission delayed a decision on a 585-acre data center proposal near Knightstown amid divided public sentiment. Developers Surge and GM Development pledged local infrastructure improvements but have yet to announce a tenant. Supporters framed the project as an economic catalyst, while opponents cited water, noise, and energy concerns—and questioned transparency around the end user. The commission will revisit the plan on November 20.
Lawsuit Challenges Pine Island’s Scrutiny of Data Center
The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy has sued the City of Pine Island over its environmental review of Project Skyway, a 482-acre development that could include up to 3 million square feet of data center space. The group alleges the city’s study failed to fully assess impacts on water, electricity, and noise. The project could consume 55 million gallons of water annually, roughly half of the city’s current total use. This marks the fourth such lawsuit in Minnesota as the state grapples with rising scrutiny over hyperscale proposals.
State Regulators Grapple with Data Center Energy Demand and Ratepayer Protections
North Carolina’s Utilities Commission convened a “large-load technical conference” to address how to balance the surge in data center power demand with consumer protection. With Duke Energy and Dominion Energy at the table, regulators debated how to expand grid capacity without burdening ratepayers. Data centers already account for 4.4% of U.S. electricity use, and demand could double or triple by 2028. The commission faces difficult trade-offs between clean-energy goals and short-term reliance on fossil fuels to meet AI-era growth.
Candidates Clash Over Massive Data Center Proposal in Great Falls
At a local candidates’ forum in Great Falls, MT, the proposed TAC Data Centers project — a two-million-square-foot campus that could draw up to 600 MW — became a defining issue. Some candidates warned about strain on housing, water, and the grid and questioned whether growth should come from “outside corporations,” while others pointed to tax base expansion, permanent jobs (up to ~200 positions), and long-term revenue. With the site sitting outside city limits for now, questions about annexation, oversight, and community cost are already shaping the race.
“Server Town” or Smart Growth? Cities Across the U.S. Start Saying No to AI Data Centers
Communities from Michigan to Arizona to Virginia are pushing back on AI-scale data centers over round-the-clock noise, heavy water draw, and fears of higher electric bills. One Michigan township is already being sued after blocking a project; in Wisconsin, Microsoft scrapped plans in Caledonia after citizen protests and policy shifts. Local leaders say these hyperscale sites demand hundreds of acres, huge grid commitments, and millions of gallons of cooling water — while delivering relatively few permanent jobs. Opponents argue ratepayers shouldn’t subsidize power for trillion-dollar tech firms.
An editorial from The Virginian-Pilot says Virginia’s data center boom has outpaced state policy and now threatens to drive up electricity rates, strain water resources, and increase noise for surrounding communities. Lawmakers introduced more than 30 bills in 2025 to rein in the industry, but only a limited co-op power bill passed, leaving most ratepayers exposed. The piece urges the General Assembly to act in 2026 on JLARC recommendations like creating a separate rate class for data centers, enforcing sound limits, and requiring water-use disclosure — or risk a public backlash against the entire sector.
Pennsylvania Communities Push to Limit, Condition, or Kill Data Center Projects
From the Harrisburg suburbs to coal country, Pennsylvania residents are organizing to slow or reshape large-scale data center plans. Local boards have rejected zoning changes, developers have withdrawn proposals under protest pressure, and citizen groups are urging towns to confine data centers to true industrial zones and require strict conditions on noise, water, and power use. At the same time, mega-deals are still advancing: Amazon Web Services is pursuing projects tied to tens of billions in investment, with single sites expected to draw power equivalent to 750,000 homes. The debate now centers on who pays for new generation and grid upgrades — communities or cloud giants.
Data Centers Dominate Virginia House District 21 Race Between Thomas and Gorham
In Northern Virginia’s competitive House District 21, both Del. Josh Thomas (D) and challenger Gregory Lee Gorham (R) are running on how to control data center growth, from noise and siting to who pays for new transmission lines. Thomas, who outraised Gorham $740K to $20K, backed legislation requiring developers to disclose expected energy, water, and sound impacts — a bill vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin — and says data centers should carry more of the grid upgrade cost. Gorham argues the reforms don’t go far enough and calls for “making it more expensive not to make smarter proposals.” Election Day is Nov. 4.
Athens Commissioner Calls for Data Center Moratorium After 2M-Square-Foot Project Denied
After Athens-Clarke County leaders unanimously rejected rezoning for a proposed ~2 million-square-foot hyperscale data center in the county’s greenbelt, Commissioner Melissa Link called for a countywide pause on data center approvals. She cited water use, energy load, and limited permanent jobs, and argued the county needs local rules before more “industrial-scale” proposals land in agricultural zones. Other Georgia counties, including DeKalb, are already moving toward stricter scrutiny tied to megawatt draw and water demand.
Developers Pull 600+ Acre Rezoning Bid in Jones County, GA After Local Pushback
In Jones County, GA, EagleRock Partners and its engineering firm withdrew a proposal to rezone more than 600 acres for the “Crooked Creek Technology Park,” a potential 1.8 million-square-foot, multibuilding data center campus valued at $5–$7 billion. Residents organized under “No Data Centers in Jones County,” and some are now pushing ordinance changes to make future approvals harder. The developer could still refile — similar to other projects in Georgia and Michigan that were pulled, reworked, and brought back after community resistance.
After a nine-hour meeting that ran past 2:30 a.m., Stafford County, VA supervisors voted 4-2-1 to require data center buildings to be at least 750 feet from homes, schools, and nearby rivers — a major jump from the previous 100-foot buffer. Local watchdog group Protect Stafford, which had pushed for 1,000 feet, still called it a “win,” framing the vote as a step toward protecting residents from noise, visual impact, and grid strain. The setback fight has become a core political issue in the Fredericksburg region as neighboring counties debate similar limits.
In Port Washington, WI, public turnout forced the Common Council to move its meeting to a larger venue as the city considers creating a Tax Incremental District (TID) to fund water, sewer, and electrical upgrades for an $8 billion Vantage Data Centers project. Supporters — including trade labor — touted construction jobs and long-term tax revenue, while opponents warned about transparency, new high-voltage lines, and the long-term visual and environmental impact. City leaders say the TID would use new project revenue, not existing taxpayer dollars, to pay for infrastructure.
Franklin, Kentucky Zoning Board Rejects ‘Generational Opportunity’ Hyperscale Data Center — For Now
In Franklin, KY, planning and zoning commissioners unanimously rejected a text amendment that would have cleared the way for a Meta-scale data center campus: three 250,000-square-foot buildings, phased over three years, with a price tag of roughly $2.1 billion per building and about 150 long-term jobs. Opponents warned about nonstop natural gas turbines, noise, and opaque process; supporters called it a “generational opportunity” that could fund schools and infrastructure. The City Commission will make the final call on Nov. 10.
Newton County commissioners voted 4-0-1 to oppose three separate annexation requests — totaling more than 1,500 acres in some cases — that could clear the way for large-scale data center or “technology park” development near Covington and Social Circle. Residents argued the proposals would industrialize rural areas and shift infrastructure costs onto existing neighborhoods. The disputes now move to an arbitration panel made up of city, county, and state appointees, which will decide whether the annexations can advance.
Columbia County commissioners issued a joint statement insisting there were no “backroom deals” behind a rezoning of nearly 2,000 acres for a proposed data center campus projected to bring in more than $118 million in revenue — and potentially use up to 7 million gallons of water a day and generate almost 4 million gallons of sewage daily. Residents say they’ve been shut out, pointing to NDAs, unanswered questions about electric rates, and a lack of published impact data. Commissioners maintain the project won’t compromise the water table or grid, but have not released supporting studies. The fight comes as Georgia regulators weigh adding 10 gigawatts to Georgia Power’s system largely to serve data centers.
Jones County Halts Data Center Activity with 90-Day Moratorium
Jones County, GA commissioners voted for a 90-day pause on data center applications, pushing any new proposals into 2026. The decision came one day after EagleRock Partners withdrew its bid to rezone more than 600 acres for the $5–$7 billion Crooked Creek Tech Park. Officials said they want “concrete information” on infrastructure, water use, and grid impact — and signaled they’re watching possible changes to Georgia’s Development of Regional Impact rules. A local opposition group has already grown past 2,100 members.
Hilliard, Ohio Residents Say Fuel Cell Power Plan for AWS Data Centers Sidesteps Local Oversight
In suburban Columbus, AEP Ohio withdrew its local application and is moving ahead with a natural gas–fueled fuel cell system to power Amazon Web Services data centers — arguing that state siting law overrides city approval. Neighbors are raising alarms about CO₂ emissions, new gas infrastructure near schools, and what they call “false promises,” while Hilliard officials say the state has effectively cut them out. The utility says the on-site generation is temporary until the grid can catch up with AI-era demand.
Behind Michigan’s Data Center Revolt: Water, 1-Gigawatt Loads, and Who Pays the Power Bill
Township meetings across Michigan are overflowing as residents fight proposed AI-scale data centers over fears of drained aquifers and overwhelming grid demand. In Pavilion Township, one speaker warned a single proposed site could consume as much power as 750,000 homes — roughly a Detroit-scale load — while others pointed to millions of gallons of cooling water per day. Michigan utilities are now asking regulators to create a separate rate class that would lock data centers into long-term power-purchase guarantees so ordinary ratepayers aren’t stuck with infrastructure costs if projects stall or scale back.
Pennsylvania Senator Moves to Make AI Data Centers Pay for Grid Upgrades
State Sen. Lindsey Williams (D–Allegheny) is drafting legislation that would require data centers to help fund grid buildouts and contribute to universal service programs, rather than passing those costs on to residential customers. Citing PJM data, Williams warned that AI data center demand is already influencing forward-capacity prices — meaning “you’re already paying for it,” even if the facility in your town hasn’t broken ground. Her bill would effectively treat hyperscale data centers as a distinct class of high-load users and make them carry more of the cost of new infrastructure.
