While it often feels that there’s not much on which we can all agree, data centers are increasingly challenging that narrative. Seven in ten Americans now oppose the construction of AI data centers in their community, making it a rare topic of widespread consensus across age, political affiliation, and geography. 

At Citizens Action Coalition, we’ve worked on many issues over more than five decades as Indiana’s leading consumer and environmental advocacy organization, yet none in recent memory have galvanized as much public attention — and opposition — as data centers. 

Unfortunately, sweeping data center opposition is being unfairly vilified and belittled by a small number of influential elites. These politicians, business leaders, and paid commentators seek to push their own agenda and further their own financial interests, which often coincides with doing Big Tech’s bidding.

Having lost control of the narrative, they are now lashing out with attacks seeking to divide and marginalize data center opponents. They condescendingly chide us about spreading “misinformation,” while they roll out the red carpet for Big Tech to operate in secrecy, mislead communities, and greenwash their products. They cherry-pick quotes and contort statistics to portray legitimate concerns as unreasonable hysteria. 

When all else fails, they try to smear the opposition through innuendo and invectives. Data center proponents derisively refer to community defenders as “NIMBYs,” and falsely claim we are against “growth,” “innovation,” and “progress.” As their social license has rapidly deteriorated, they have turned to unfounded and fantastical conspiracy theories that suggest China has tricked us into opposing data centers or is otherwise behind the opposition.

Temporarily banning data centers draws more interest from state, local officials

The truth is that ubiquitous resistance forming across Indiana communities has organically emerged in response to the onslaught of data center proposals that are sprouting next to residences and schools like a noxious, hard-to-kill weed. Each data center could use a city-size amount of electricity, millions of gallons of water every day, receive billions in state and local subsidies, generate dangerous levels of continuous loud noise, dump massive amounts of pollution into the environment, and further strain our aging electric grid. 

In October 2024, CAC became the first organization in the nation to call for a moratorium on large data centers, based on our analysis of the significant harms caused by these facilities. Since then, the projections have only gotten worse for Indiana, demonstrating our concerns were not only valid, but understated. We have since been joined by 26 Hoosier organizations and more than 500 organizations across the country in calling for a data center moratorium. 

Hoosiers are also rising to the occasion to defend their communities. Many thousands have attended public meetings and protests, contacted their elected officials, put up signs, knocked on doors, spoke at hearings, submitted written comments, and spread the word on social media. 

Local organizing is working in Indiana. Dozens of counties have passed moratoria or bans and nearly as many individual project proposals have been defeated or withdrawn in the past two years. 

We certainly need some data centers to enable the internet, cloud storage, social media, and other beneficial uses. But the process, pace, and purpose of the current AI-fueled data center frenzy are completely unsustainable, unaffordable, and a disaster for Indiana communities. It benefits a few to the considerable detriment of the many. 

We need stronger environmental safeguards, robust consumer protections, greater transparency, and meaningful opportunity for community input. But that’s just a start. Data centers are also highlighting the structural flaws underpinning our economic and political systems, which also deserve a broader conversation. 

It’s time for data center proponents to stop casting aspersions at concerned communities and Hoosier advocates who want the best for Indiana’s residents and come to the table with real solutions. Until then, the data center resistance will continue to grow stronger by the day.

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