A survey conducted by Heatmap Pro and Embold Research from August 8th to 13th of 2,045 registered U.S. voters found that 75% opposed building new data centers near their homes, with over 60% expressing "strong opposition"; a year ago, the opposition rate was only 42%. However, this question measures local project acceptance and should not be interpreted as 75% of Americans opposing AI or nationwide data center construction.
A Pew survey also showed that the public's primary concerns are electricity costs, the environment, and quality of life, while they still value job creation and tax benefits. Opposition has begun to manifest in the approval process: New York has suspended new hyperscale projects exceeding 50 megawatts; Texas requires all data centers awaiting grid connection to undergo an authenticity audit, rather than completely halting existing facilities.
Heatmap statistics indicate that over 530 local governments have implemented strict restrictions, and Data Center Watch reports that at least 75 projects, worth approximately $130 billion, were delayed in the first quarter of this year.
