Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times(emphasis ours),
As artificial intelligence continues to permeate everyday life,the data centers needed to support the burgeoning technology are popping up across America - many close to residential areas.More than one-third of Americans now live within a few miles of at least one data center.
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.
The developers also saidthey are working to address residents’ concernsat the planning stage, adding safeguards to reduce water and energy requirements.
Meanwhile, grassroots opposition to data centers is gaining momentum going into the 2026 elections.
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 platformData Center Map.
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.
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.
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.
The analysis also reveals that 38 percent of Americans currently live within five miles of at least one operating data center.
Source: ZeroHedge News
