When data center development is put on hold, community engagement shouldn’t be. Developers who use the time to build relationships, address concerns, and work with local officials can turn a setback into an opportunity. By Adam Waitkunas When a community imposes a moratorium on data center development, many developers’ instinct is to put everything on hold, keep a low profile, and wait for the restrictions to expire. Others may turn immediately to legal action. While […]
The midterms may be amplifying the data center debate, but the industry shouldn’t mistake an election-year spotlight for the source of the backlash. By Adam Waitkunas At nearly every data center conference I attend lately, I hear some version of the same prediction: Once the midterm elections are over, the temperature around data centers will come down. I wouldn’t count on it. There is no question that data centers have become a political issue in […]
This week’s Zoning In shows how quickly data center opposition is moving beyond local zoning fights and becoming a financial, political, and industry-wide risk. Banks and investors are beginning to factor in community resistance, project delays, and even uncertainty about long-term AI demand into financing decisions, while Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel publicly acknowledged the growing pushback. At the same time, President Trump’s criticism of data center opponents drew bipartisan rebukes in Kentucky, and voters […]
This week’s Zoning In is another reminder that data center projects are increasingly being judged not only on their own merits, but on the missteps of projects hundreds of miles away. NDAs, poor communication, noise complaints and permitting disputes are feeding a broader narrative of distrust — and that baggage can follow developers into a community before a project is even introduced. At the same time, opposition groups are sharing tactics, hiring attorneys, holding their […]
At the exact moment the data center industry needed credibility, transparency, and listening, one of its most visible advocates delivered accusations, controversy, and a whole lot of hubris. By Adam Waitkunas For an industry already battling a growing trust deficit, the last thing data centers needed was a public relations disaster led by one of the most recognizable personalities in business television. Yet that is exactly what happened in Box Elder County, Utah. Over the […]
This week’s headlines suggest that, in many cases, the data center industry continues to repeat mistakes it should have learned from by now. Across the country, communities are demanding greater transparency, more meaningful engagement, and a stronger voice in decisions that will shape their future. In Virginia, residents say they were blindsided by a gas-powered data center operating next to their neighborhood. In New Mexico, a long-promised community meeting sparked frustration after residents felt their […]
The industry should resist the victory lap—this close call signals a deeper problem it can’t ignore. By Adam Waitkunas When Janet Mills vetoed Maine’s proposed data center moratorium, much of the industry exhaled. Some even celebrated. That reaction misses the point entirely. What happened in Maine wasn’t a win—it was a warning shot. A Veto Isn’t a Green Light The bill itself—LD 307—would have made Maine the first state in the country to impose a […]
This week’s Zoning In highlights a clear shift: while energy and water concerns are still present, they’re increasingly being overshadowed by transparency and community engagement—and the consequences when both fall short. Across multiple markets, projects introduced late or with limited public visibility are triggering immediate backlash, with residents focusing less on technical impacts and more on process, access to information, and whether their voices are being heard. That breakdown is showing up in real time. […]
A guide to planning effective community information and listening sessions By Adam Waitkunas In today’s permitting climate, a data center town hall isn’t just an information session. It’s a pressure test. It’s often the first time residents meet the people behind a project—and the first time rumors, fears, and assumptions collide with facts in the same room. We’ve seen plenty of projects where a poorly planned meeting accelerated opposition, fueled headlines, and hardened positions overnight. […]
Happy New Year! This week’s Zoning In captures a pattern that’s no longer emerging—it’s now the baseline. Across the country, data center development is colliding with a more organized and politically savvy opposition, as well as a growing chorus of scrutiny from state and federal policymakers. From proposals that quietly stall after securing incentives, to jurisdictions pushing projects forward despite intense public opposition, the dynamic is clear: communities are demanding transparency, elected officials are chasing […]
