{"id":17239,"date":"2026-05-16T07:40:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T14:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/?p=17239"},"modified":"2026-05-16T07:55:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T14:55:07","slug":"with-4900-ai-data-centers-theres-likely-one-coming-to-your-neighborhood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/2026\/05\/16\/with-4900-ai-data-centers-theres-likely-one-coming-to-your-neighborhood\/","title":{"rendered":"With 4,900 AI Data Centers, There\u2019s Likely One Coming to Your Neighborhood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some of these numbers are staggering, and around 70 are in various stages of discussion around Cheyenne, Wyoming, even talking about a 5,600 man camp to be built for construction workers. There is definitely a lot of money being made constructing them, but will they make money after to justify the investment? Or is the flood of AI and AI slop all just part of the digital ID scheme they’re trying to get implemented for the mark of the beast system? Overcoming citizen resistance doesn’t seem plausible, but deepfake content, major false flag cyber events… could sway citizens to accept it beyond just protecting the children. A lot of the surveillance for the system is already in place and being built up daily, with people even buying cameras for their homes and uploading video, and they have facial recognition ready to go on those systems… Even without carrying a smartphone your movements are being tracked by ALPR cameras, modern surveillance vehicles soon to watch you with a camera, facial recognition in businesses… It’s all going to be a lot worse than what 1984<\/em> portrayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/with-4900-ai-data-centers-theres-likely-one-coming-to-your-neighborhood-6017019?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=TheLibertyDaily<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
Opposition to massive data centers is growing\u2014last year $152 billion worth of data center construction was blocked.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

By Mary Prenon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As artificial intelligence continues to permeate everyday life, the data centers needed to support the burgeoning technology are popping up across America\u2014many close to residential areas. More than one-third of Americans now live within a few miles of at least one data center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That proximity means many development projects are not going smoothly, as residents raise questions about the unknown effects on their resources. Both residents and developers who spoke to The Epoch Times pointed to transparency as a key issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The developers also said they are working to address residents\u2019 concerns at the planning stage, adding safeguards to reduce water and energy requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, grassroots opposition to data centers is gaining momentum going into the 2026 elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built in Clusters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"image-6025515\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The United States currently has more than 3,100 data centers in operation and more than 1,800 in various stages of development, according to data provided by infrastructure intelligence and mapping platform Data Center Map<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virginia, Texas, and California lead the nation in the number of data centers, according to the data. Virginia alone has a combined total of 711 currently operational, under-construction, and planned centers. Texas has a combined total of 544, and California, 333.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These data facilities are typically massive buildings housing information technology infrastructure, data-storage systems, and networking and processing equipment. They also require power subsystems, backup generators, and HVAC and cooling systems to prevent hardware from overheating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a recent Pew Research Center analysis, 87 percent of existing data centers are located in urban regions, while 67 percent of planned data centers are targeted for construction in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interactive map on linked article<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The analysis also reveals that 38 percent of Americans currently live within five miles of at least one operating data center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese structures tend to be built in clusters: Nine in 10 data centers are within five miles of another one,\u201d the report notes. \u201cAs a result, a majority of Americans who live near one data center also live near at least one more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Wait a Minute\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"image-6025517\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to Data Center Watch, community opposition to data centers is surging nationwide, shifting from individual zoning disputes into a national political force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An estimated $152 billion in potential investment was blocked or delayed in 2025, including $98 billion in the second quarter alone\u2014more than all disruptions combined since 2023 and affecting 20 projects, the research organization\u2019s data show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The activity accelerated sharply in the third and fourth quarters, with hundreds of activist groups across 42 states organizing to block the construction or expansion of data centers toward the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe came together and said no, and I\u2019m very proud of the outcry of average citizens to say \u2018wait a minute\u2019 before going ahead with this,\u201d Danei Edelen, who heads up the grassroots group Southern Ohio Responsible Development (SORD), located in Brown County, told The Epoch Times. Her hometown of Mount Orab, about 40 miles east of Cincinnati, is the latest target for a hyperscale data center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025527\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Members of Southern Ohio Responsible Development pose with a sign opposing a planned data center in Mount Orab, Ohio, in March 2026. Mount Orab, about 40 miles east of Cincinnati, is the latest target for a hyperscale data center. Courtesy of Danei Edelen\/Southern Ohio Responsible Development<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome of these centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water, which is equivalent to a small town,\u201d Edelen said. \u201cAs for the noise, it can be like having a motorcycle running 24\/7.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The group also has concerns about health hazards that could result from possible air pollution, water contamination, or exposure to high-voltage electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With influence from SORD and other Brown County residents, the local government recently issued a six-month moratorium on the project, which could potentially encompass nearly 1,200 acres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025525\"\/
In an aerial view, the Elemental Critical Data Center facility is seen in Austin, Texas, on April 8, 2026. Virginia, Texas, and California lead the nation in the number of data centers, according to data provided by infrastructure intelligence and mapping platform Data Center Map. Brandon Bell\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clayton Tucker, secretary of the Texas Farmers Union and Democratic candidate for Texas agriculture minister, said he\u2019s concerned about insufficient water for irrigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt can cost up to $40,000 to drill for a new well, and some of these centers are water hogs, using incredible amounts of water here in the Dust Bowl,\u201d he told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said water levels in some wells in the state have already dropped by 25 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tucker also worries about the escalation of utility bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome of these centers are like building an entire new city, and power usage is expected to triple or quadruple by 2032,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tucker has spoken with farmers in other states who have seen a recent influx of data centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that although state and federal governments have had little involvement, local governments have been sensitive to their concerns. Action by several bipartisan city councils has managed to pause plans for data centers in Athens and San Marcos, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur main goal is to delay these projects and wait for better technology,\u201d Tucker said. \u201cHaving centers that use no water and computer chips that use a fraction of the power with little or no noise would resolve a lot of resource issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SORD is ready to go one step further by proposing a state constitutional amendment that would ban hyperscale data centers. The group is working to gather 413,000 valid signatures to qualify for a ballot measure in the next election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biggest Problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Dunphy, public health consultant and author of \u201cThe Toxin Handbook,\u201d told The Epoch Times that plans are already on the books for a new large data center within five miles of her home in Orange County, California. Her concern is more about what these centers could transform into for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe big question is about where these centers are headed,\u201d she said. \u201cAs they need more and more power and resources, they\u2019ll grow and become more complex, possibly adding health effects in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Currently, she noted, there\u2019s no evidence directly linking data centers to any specific health effect, but there are concerns about electromagnetic fields and air pollution affecting people with co-morbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and certain heart conditions, or the elderly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dunphy also believes the likelihood of water contamination from data centers is slim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would be more worried about petrochemical or manufacturing centers producing chemical runoffs,\u201d she said. \u201cThen it becomes more of a concern.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025524\"\/
An aerial view shows cars passing a data center under construction in Ashburn, Va., on Nov. 12, 2025. More than 1,800 data centers are currently in various stages of development, adding to the more than 3,100 data centers in operation, according to data provided by Data Center Map. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The biggest problem, she noted, is that there have been no large-scale studies about data centers and their impacts on local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know enough about these to have them in our backyard,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd no, I am not in favor of a data center near my home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edelen said her group is not against responsible development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe just want more time to study the impact this may have on the community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emma Cox is the chief commercial officer for ClimeCo, a Houston-based global environmental advisory and decarbonization firm helping builders develop more responsibly by reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cData centers are going up incredibly quickly, and my caution is that some developers are not considering responsible growth,\u201d she told The Epoch Times. \u201cAs a result, I believe both the environment and human health could suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Texas Farmers Union seeks more openness and honesty when data centers are proposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of times, developers don\u2019t tell you the whole truth,\u201d Tucker said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025522\"\/
A local resident holds a sign during a public meeting in Canaan Valley, W. Va., on June 30, 2025. Data centers\u2019 large power consumption and water use remain top concerns for residents when new projects are considered. Ulysse Bellier\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Redfin-commissioned, Ipsos-conducted survey found that 47 percent of residents object to the construction of AI data centers in their neighborhoods, while 38 percent support the projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey also showed that younger Americans are more likely to support building data centers in their \u201cbackyard.\u201d Politically, 49 percent of Republicans and 36 percent of Democrats support the construction of data centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018A Convenient Scapegoat\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Daren Shumate, CEO of Shumate Engineering in Tysons, Virginia, has been involved in data center construction since 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom a developer\u2019s viewpoint, there are two major requirements for site selection of data centers: ample power availability and the local jurisdiction that will allow you to build,\u201d he told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While he acknowledged that these mega centers are water- and energy-intensive, he said safeguards are being built into plans for new facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cData centers are a convenient scapegoat when it comes to issues concerning water and power,\u201d he said. \u201cMany of the newer centers are now relying on air-cooled chillers or refrigeration as opposed to evaporative water systems and cooling towers. Those designs call for very low water usage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025523\"\/
Substations and transformers are seen at a Digital Realty data center in Ashburn, Va., on Nov. 12, 2025. Daren Shumate, whose company has worked in data center construction for decades, said new facilities are being built with water-saving designs and energy safeguards. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As a result, he said, a data center should have little effect on a community\u2019s water supply or water rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding power supply, Shumate said electricity usage varies depending on the size of the data center. It can range from 10 megawatts for smaller facilities to 200 megawatts for hyperscale centers, typically operated by Big Tech firms such as Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Oracle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, these centers require additional buildings for cooling and other operations, often requiring another 100 megawatts per building, Shumate said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnlike a regular office building that usually runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., a data center operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. You turn it on and never turn it off,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While acknowledging concerns about power grid failures, Shumate said developers are taking steps to mitigate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost large data centers are now required to have back-up battery systems that will provide an uninterrupted power supply, and these batteries are constantly charging,\u201d he said. \u201cThat means the centers won\u2019t be putting any extra strain on the power companies when an outage occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shumate also believes the expansion of data centers will have minimal effect on utility rates for local consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025538\"\/
An Amazon Web Services data center is seen near single-family homes in Stone Ridge, Va., on July 17, 2024. Virginia alone has a combined total of 711 currently operational, under-construction, and planned centers. Nathan Howard\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLocal utility firms will be earning a huge amount of money from these centers, which they can use to improve their infrastructure without adding to consumer bills,\u201d he said. \u201cBetter design techniques using LED lighting, insulation, windows, and other materials are designed to stabilize data center electricity usage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also noted that many developers are establishing building criteria to ensure data centers are not located adjacent to schools or residential properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile mechanical units can produce noise, developers can design systems to mitigate the data center noise,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Harry Sudock, chief business officer of CleanSpark, a Las Vegas-based data-center developer, has handled land acquisition and data center construction for nearly 40 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPower availability and speed to delivery are actually more important than land prices when choosing a location,\u201d he told The Epoch Times. \u201cWe also look for areas where there\u2019s already a significant amount of electrical infrastructure in place, including former manufacturing hubs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the firm\u2019s clients are high-tech firms, including hyperscalers such as Google and Meta, but they also build for smaller firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025526\"\/
A view of a 49.5 megawatt three-level data center under construction in Vernon, Calif., on April 14, 2026. Mario Tama\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, quality-of-life issues such as air pollution and noise are also included in their site selection analysis, Sudock said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirst, we commission a study to decide where to build, and we follow guidelines to ensure there\u2019s sufficient distance between the center and housing communities or schools,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transparency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sudock believes that transparency is always the best option when presenting an often controversial project like a large data center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDevelopers need to discuss what they want to do, how much power and water they\u2019ll require, and how that will affect the community,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s also important to discuss job creation and revenue streams for the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His firm has even offered a list of references from officials in other locations where data centers have been constructed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe go a step further and offer bus tours to other data centers in the area,\u201d Sudock said. \u201cI think a lot of the pushback is the unknown, so educating people about exactly what will happen is essential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image-6025528\"\/
A sign reading \u201cNO DATA CENTER\u201d stands in front of the farm of Ida Huddleston and her daughter Delsia Bare in Maysville, Ky., on April 10, 2026. The family has turned down a large offer to sell their land as they and other Mason County property owners fight the building of a data center and solar farm on their properties. Glenn Hartong for The Epoch Times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hiring local personnel and contractors also helps developers invest in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCompanies get in trouble when they rely on minimum compliance instead of transparency,\u201d Brittnie Panetta, an associate attorney at Matthews & Associates in Santa Clara, California, told The Epoch Times. She specializes in environmental and water contamination cases throughout the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to have early community engagement, clear disclosure of water and energy use, and enforceable commitments to mitigate impact, so as not to face zoning disputes or any environmental justice claims.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shumate agrees that the best way to approach the subject of a proposed data center in a community is to be proactive from the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf neighbors perceive that a deal is done \u2018behind closed doors,\u2019 they will be more apt to consider that the deal is bad for them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some of these numbers are staggering, and around 70 are in various stages of discussion around Cheyenne, Wyoming, even talking about a 5,600 man camp to be built for construction workers. There is definitely a lot of money being made constructing them, but will they make money after to justify the investment? Or is the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech","category-world"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Jason","author_link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/author\/jturning\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17239"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17244,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17239\/revisions\/17244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}