This week’s Zoning In points to a more challenging environment for data center development — and especially community engagement.
The headline number is hard to ignore: a new UMass Amherst poll found that just 11% of Americans support an AI data center in their community, while 65% oppose one. Perhaps more significant, that opposition cuts across political and demographic lines and is driven largely by tangible local concerns around natural resources, land use, disruption and utility costs.
That cross-partisan dynamic was on full display in Washington, where Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon appeared at the same conference calling for greater scrutiny of AI, while data centers are increasingly becoming an issue in campaigns and policy debates across the country. At the local level, the pressure is just as clear: moratoriums, proposed bans, packed town halls, organized opposition groups and tougher rules around power, water, NDAs and community benefits continue to spread.
For developers, the takeaway is that projects are increasingly entering communities with a trust deficit before the first conversation even takes place. That is going to create even stronger headwinds for community engagement — raising the bar for transparency, early outreach and tangible local benefits. The challenge is no longer simply explaining an individual project. It is overcoming a national narrative that may already have shaped how residents view it.
A new UMass Amherst poll finds just 11% of Americans support construction of an AI data center in their community, while 65% oppose it, with opposition spanning political and demographic groups. Respondents most frequently cited environmental and natural-resource concerns, land use and local disruption, and utility costs — suggesting that resistance is being driven less by AI itself than by concerns about the tangible local impacts of the infrastructure supporting it. The national poll of 1,000 respondents was conducted August 21–26 and has a 3.5% margin of error.
Data Center Growth Could Mean Blackouts in Coming Years, Pa. Utility Regulators Say
A Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission report warns that rapidly growing electricity demand, driven largely by data centers, could significantly increase reliability risks across the PJM region by 2030 if new generation fails to keep pace. The analysis adds regulatory weight to concerns about data center power demand and comes as policymakers increasingly consider requiring projects to bring or procure new generation rather than placing additional pressure on existing grid capacity.
Council Resolution Calls for Two-Year Ban on New Data Centers in Buffalo
A Buffalo Common Council member is proposing a two-year pause on new data centers to give the city time to update its zoning code and establish clearer development standards. The proposal follows New York’s statewide moratorium and reflects the growing trend of communities acting proactively to put rules in place before large-scale projects arrive.
Loudoun County Board Pauses Data Center Applications
Loudoun County — home to the nation’s largest concentration of data centers — is moving toward a 12-month pause on new applications while officials develop new rules addressing impacts on surrounding communities. The 7-1-1 vote is particularly significant given Loudoun’s long history as the center of the data center industry and illustrates how scrutiny is intensifying even in its most established markets.
How Two Political Outsiders Led the Push for Maryland’s First Data Center Ban
Two previously politically inactive Harford County residents transformed opposition to a proposed 672 MW data center campus into a sophisticated grassroots campaign involving community meetings, social media, lawn signs and packed government hearings. The effort ultimately helped drive Maryland’s first countywide permanent data center ban, illustrating how quickly individual neighbors can become organized activists capable of influencing local policy.
Steve Bannon and Bernie Sanders Condemn Tech ‘Oligarchs’ and Demand A.I. Reforms
A Washington conference brought together figures from across the political spectrum calling for tighter controls on AI, including Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon. Data centers were part of the broader debate, with speakers raising concerns about communities having too little input into development and Sanders promoting his proposal to pause new data centers — another sign that AI and its supporting infrastructure are generating unusual cross-partisan scrutiny.
The Data-Center Backlash Is So Fierce That Republican Candidates Are Willing to Cross Trump
Data centers are becoming an increasingly prominent issue in the 2026 midterms, with candidates from both parties emphasizing ratepayer protections, local control and tougher development standards. The article points to races in Ohio, Michigan and Texas and cites polling showing opposition cutting across party lines — demonstrating how community concerns surrounding data centers are increasingly shaping campaign messaging and national politics.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
A proposed 500 MW data center campus in Aurora could potentially move through an administrative approval process without a neighborhood meeting or public hearing, despite its proximity to residential development. State officials have encouraged the developer to engage residents, underscoring the growing disconnect between what existing zoning may legally require and what communities increasingly expect in terms of transparency and engagement.
A proposed 1.5-million-square-foot data center campus in South Whitehall Township has prompted residents to form a new civic alliance, with concerns focused on its location near homes and a high school, noise and electricity costs. Despite the project’s promises to pay for its power and generate more than $16 million annually in local taxes, opponents say they are prepared for a prolonged fight.
‘You Guys Got Your Hands Full’: Public Vents Frustrations and Concerns at Data Center Town Hall
Lee County, Iowa, residents used the first of three town halls to press officials for stringent data center regulations — or an outright prohibition. The county is developing a “good neighbor” ordinance following a one-year moratorium, with concerns spanning power and water use, noise, pollution, property values and project transparency.
Scarborough, Maine Takes Step Toward Zoning Out Data Centers
Following a 180-day moratorium, Scarborough officials unanimously advanced a zoning change that would effectively prevent data centers from receiving permits in town. While officials stressed that the change could be revisited, the move shows how temporary pauses intended to study development can evolve into far more restrictive zoning policies.
Data Centers Under Fire for Forcing Local Officials to Sign NDAs
States are increasingly targeting nondisclosure agreements between data center developers and public officials as demands for transparency grow. Massachusetts, Delaware and Pennsylvania have taken executive action, while lawmakers elsewhere are considering restrictions. The article highlights a major shift in the industry’s reputational environment: confidentiality practices once viewed as routine economic-development tools can now become part of the opposition narrative themselves.
1,100 Turn Out Against Project Bluestem Data Center Proposal in Tonganoxie, Kansas
More than 1,000 residents turned out for a Leavenworth County meeting on the proposed 1,000-acre Project Bluestem, following months of calls for greater transparency and an earlier citizen petition seeking an 18-month moratorium. The extraordinary turnout demonstrates both the intensity of local opposition and the importance residents are placing on having a meaningful role in the process before decisions are made.
‘It Has Broken My Heart’: Community Members Speak at U-M, Los Alamos Data Center Town Hall
Dozens of residents voiced strong opposition to the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory’s proposed $1.2 billion computing facility in Ypsilanti Township, with concerns focused on its location near neighborhoods and the Huron River, as well as the classified research planned for the site. Project leaders acknowledged residents’ concerns and said additional town halls will be necessary, with another scheduled for October 1.
Lowell, MA Drafts Community Benefits Agreement on Data Centers, Development
Lowell officials are developing a formal framework for community benefit agreements that could apply to data centers and other major developments. Potential provisions include local hiring, host-community payments, utility protections, setbacks, noise monitoring, environmental safeguards and decommissioning bonds. The effort is another indication that CBAs are moving from an optional engagement tool toward a more formal part of the development and approval process in some communities.
More than 100 residents packed a Juab County meeting to protest a proposed $10 billion, 750 MW data center campus after many said they did not learn about the project until months after its conditional-use permit was approved. The controversy — centered on transparency, water, power and quality-of-life concerns — has already spawned an organized opposition group and underscores the risks of relying on legally sufficient public notice rather than proactive community engagement.
Wayne County Residents Seek Information on Data Centers Ahead of City Vote
More than 100 residents attended a community-organized meeting in Wayne County, Georgia, where scientists discussed data center development and organizers encouraged residents to become more involved in the regulatory process. The meeting comes as Jesup prepares to finalize a data center ordinance, with a town hall and council vote scheduled for September 29.
Michigan Environmentalists Push for Statewide Data Center Moratorium, Regulations as Bills Stall
Environmental groups are pressing Michigan lawmakers for a one-year moratorium on new data centers as proposed regulations remain stalled. Measures under consideration would require water-use permits and community benefits, protect utility customers and prohibit public officials from signing NDAs tied to data center deals — another sign that transparency and community engagement practices are increasingly moving into the legislative arena.
‘Full-on Backlash’ Against Data Centers Occurring as San José Courts Them
Data center opposition is intensifying even in Silicon Valley, as San José aggressively courts new projects while nearby Santa Clara officials and residents raise concerns over electricity, water, emissions and cumulative impacts. San José is responding with community listening sessions and plans for tougher standards covering environmental protections, ratepayers, aesthetics, community engagement and benefits — illustrating how even traditionally data center-friendly markets are being forced to rethink development rules.
Alabama Residents Raise Concerns Over AI Data Centers in Rural Communities
The traveling “AI Data Center Revolt Tour” stopped in Alabama, encouraging rural residents to organize around data center development and become more active in local decision-making. The event is another example of opposition evolving beyond individual projects into organized networks that are sharing messages and mobilization tactics across state lines.
Clinton Community Raises Awareness With No Data Center Concert
Data center opponents in Clinton, Iowa, turned to a community concert to build awareness and support for changes to a proposed data center ordinance. Organizers emphasized that they are not opposed to technology itself but want “responsible development,” while attendees signed petitions seeking amendments ahead of a September 22 City Council discussion — demonstrating increasingly creative and community-driven opposition tactics.
Abbott Orders Penalties for Data Centers That Fail to Report Water Use
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Water Development Board to penalize data centers that fail to comply with state water-use reporting requirements. The move follows his August order for a broader audit of data centers seeking ERCOT interconnection, further demonstrating how scrutiny of data center water and power consumption is translating into tougher state-level oversight and enforcement.
Labor Unions Must Unite Against AI Data Centers
In a Guardian opinion piece, the president of the Office and Professional Employees International Union calls on organized labor to support federal and state data center moratoriums until stronger protections are established for workers and communities. The argument broadens the opposition narrative beyond traditional concerns about power, water and land use to include AI-driven job displacement — potentially creating another constituency in the growing data center debate.
Acrimony Over Data Center Spills Out at Town Hall Meeting in Mason
More than 200 people packed a Mason, Michigan, City Council meeting and data center town hall, where residents accused officials of secrecy and criticized the tightly controlled format of the discussion. Months of opposition have already led to recall efforts against two elected officials, demonstrating how quickly distrust surrounding a potential project can escalate into a broader political issue — even before a formal proposal has been submitted.
Data Center Opposition Hijacks Town Hall
A Lee County, Iowa, town hall intended to gather input on regulations for high-impact developments was dominated by residents calling for officials to reject a proposed data center outright. County supervisors are instead working toward what one called a “good neighbor policy,” considering requirements covering noise, power, water, emissions, setbacks and appearance — another example of communities trying to establish stronger rules before additional projects arrive.
Residents Voice Support for Data Center Moratorium in Beaufort County
Residents in Beaufort County, North Carolina, urged commissioners to approve a one-year data center moratorium, citing concerns about noise, emissions, electricity costs and community resources. Notably, county officials say no developers have approached them yet — meaning the community is considering restrictions proactively rather than waiting for a project to arrive. Commissioners are scheduled to vote October 5.
Aurora City Council Approves Data Center Regulation
Aurora, Colorado, unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting evaporative cooling systems in new industrial, commercial and multifamily developments, including future data centers. The measure follows the council’s rejection of a data center moratorium and reinforces a broader trend: communities that choose not to pause development are increasingly turning to specific operating and resource-use standards instead.
