Kenneth Glad
Industrial projects are moving quickly into places where residents say they had little warning. The dispute is turning on water, electricity, land and whether local approval still means public consent.
Erin Brockovich, the American environmental advocate known for the Hinkley groundwater contamination case, is now focused on AI data centers.
After she asked people across the United States to report concerns, more than 7,000 submissions were added to her mapping project. By June 24, the project listed 33 operating AI data centers, 68 under construction and 41 proposed nationwide.
The complaints follow a similar pattern, writes The Guardian. Residents describe learning about projects after approvals were granted, seeing construction start near farms or neighborhoods, and then asking who agreed to the water use, power demand and long-term changes to the land.
County rescinded its moratorium
The issue is difficult for local officials because data centers can arrive with promises of investment, while also requiring infrastructure that small communities may not be ready to supply.
In Hill County, Texas, commissioners approved a one-year pause on data center construction after residents objected.
A developer then sued for $100 million, and the county later rescinded the moratorium, according to The Texas Tribune.
That case shows how quickly a local planning dispute can become a financial threat. Even when officials try to slow a project for further review, they may face legal pressure far beyond a county budget.
Water has become the clearest warning sign
The most concrete fear is water. The Guardian reports that two-thirds of planned US data centers are in drought-affected areas, and that some large sites can use up to 5 million gallons a day for cooling.
For residents, the question is direct. Should scarce water serve homes, farms and wildlife, or should it cool server buildings?
Brockovich told the British newspaper that people have told her about rising bills, dead animals, disappearing wildlife and constant industrial noise.
She is calling for environmental impact reports, public meetings and clear explanations of how each project would be powered and cooled before more approvals move forward.
Ireland shows why electricity matters too
The debate is not limited to the United States. Ireland’s Central Statistics Office reported that data centers accounted for 22 percent of the country’s metered electricity consumption in 2024, up from 5 percent in 2015.
That figure explains why grid access has become part of the argument. Ireland’s Commission for Regulation of Utilities has introduced new electricity connection rules for data centers following earlier limits on new grid connections around Dublin.
Brockovich’s position is not that AI should disappear. Her argument is that communities should not discover the costs only after concrete has been poured, utility demand has been locked in and public leverage has already weakened.
Sources: The Guardian, The Texas Tribune, Ireland’s Central Statistics Office Ireland; Ireland’s Commission for Regulation of Utilities.
