AI data center boom hits growing resistance as $68 billion in US projects are blocked or delayed
Data Center Watch said 70% of Americans oppose nearby AI facilities as resistance spreads to 843 groups and state-level restrictions.
- Researchers at Data Center Watch reported that 45 data center projects worth $68 billion were blocked or delayed between April and June, bringing first-half 2026 disruptions to nearly $200 billion across the United States.
- A new Gallup poll shows 70 percent of Americans oppose building AI data centers locally, with 48 percent strongly opposed, while 843 organized opposition groups now span 49 states amid resource concerns.
- State governments have responded with restrictions: Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a one-year moratorium in New York, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a Texas grid audit, and the Minneapolis City Council approved a six-month pause on large projects.
- President Donald Trump dismissed this resistance as a 'sick conspiracy,' claiming it benefits China this month. Data Center Watch reported international opposition emerging in Europe, Australia, and South Africa for the first time.
- Lead analyst Miquel Vila said 'new groups continue to emerge,' as community resistance becomes a material obstacle to the industry's scaling capacity. Experts anticipate this trend will grow globally as data center development expands.
13 Articles
13 Articles
AI data center boom hits growing resistance as $68 billion in US projects are blocked or delayed
Local opposition blocked or delayed 45 data center projects valued at $68 billion during the second quarter, according to Data Center Watch, a research initiative from AI intelligence company 10a Labs. The affected projects accounted for more than half of the large-scale data center developments the group began tracking during the period.Read Entire Article
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Local Opposition Stalls $68 Billion in U.S. Data Center Projects in Second Quarter
Local resistance disrupted at least 45 proposed U.S. data center developments worth nearly $68 billion between April and June, extending a nationwide backlash that has ... The post Local Opposition Stalls $68 Billion in U.S. Data Center Projects in Second Quarter first appeared on [your]NEWS.
Rising opposition disrupting data center plans: report
About 45 data center projects worth US$68 billion were blocked or delayed by local pushback from April to June due to mounting opposition in the US, research group Data Center Watch said yesterday.Communities across the nation are now pushing through moratoriums on new construction, often before dev
$68 Billion in US Data Center Projects Stalled by Local Opposition
The rapid expansion of AI data centers is encountering a major obstacle: communities that don’t want massive data centers built in their neighborhoods. New research from Data Center Watch reveals that local opposition blocked or delayed 45 U.S. data center projects valued at approximately $68 billion during the second quarter of 2026. These developments accounted [...]
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