The campaign, led by Food and Water Watch, warns that the current build-out is outpacing regulatory oversight. Projections indicate a tripling of data center capacity within five years, a scale that would require electricity equivalent to the needs of 30 million households. Beyond energy demands, the facilities require massive water consumption for cooling and are expected to contribute 44 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, further straining climate goals.
In section Newsroom
Coalition of 230 Groups Demands Moratorium on AI Data Center Expansion
A coalition of more than 230 environmental and economic advocacy groups urged Congress on Monday to halt the rapid construction of AI and cryptocurrency data centers. The organizations argue that the industry’s unchecked growth is creating an environmental and social crisis, threatening local power grids, water supplies, and household utility costs.
Grassroots opposition is intensifying as utility costs climb. Since 2021, electricity prices have risen 21.3%, with states hosting dense data center clusters—such as Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio—experiencing sharper increases than the national average. Despite this, the Trump administration is pushing to accelerate the permitting process, with plans to sign an executive order that would preempt state-level regulations. Reports from across the country show that even in regions that supported the current administration, residents are increasingly organizing to block local projects, citing concerns over economic instability and the erosion of community control.
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