Resource Type: Documents

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August 8, 2026

Data Center Organizing Toolkit

This document is a step-by-step organizing toolkit for communities confronting data center proposals. Covers outreach strategies with printable talking points and one-pagers, curated local news clips and videos, and documented stories of community victories. Includes direct contact information for organizing support.

Campaign Strategy, Community Organizing, Public Engagement, Victories
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August 8, 2026

MPP DC Coalition Resources

Move Past Plastic and the Coalition to Protect Cumberland County PA from Data Centers maintain shared working notes for organizers opposing 18 proposed data centers in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania. The collection compiles coalition resources for residents coordinating local opposition across Cumberland County.

Campaign Strategy, Coalition Building, Community Organizing
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July 31, 2026

Policies for Data Centers, 2026

This Sierra Club policy brief outlines four categories of state-level guardrails to mitigate data center impacts: ratepayer protections through large load tariffs and cross-subsidy prevention, clean energy accountability via RPS enforcement and on-site renewable mandates, reform of tax and utility incentives, and public health protections addressing cumulative air emissions from backup diesel generators. The document…

Economic Analysis, Energy, Government & Policy, Public Engagement, Taxes, Utilities & Power
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July 31, 2026

Data Center Anticipated Approvals and Permits

Fair Shake is building a list of permits a data center might need that leaders can copy and use to track projects in their own communities.

Government & Policy, Legal & Zoning, Public Engagement
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July 26, 2026

Example Ordinance: Franklin County, Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners (Ordinance No. 2026-02) sets binding zoning standards specifically for data centers.

This is an example of an ordinance that Franklin County, Pennsylvania, is using, and it should be a reference for people that are looking for ordinances.

Environmental Justice, Government & Policy, Legal & Zoning, Noise, Ordinance, Water Quality & Quantity
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July 24, 2026

How Will Data Center Growth Impact California Ratepayers?

In California, billions in planned transmission upgrades to serve data centers risk becoming stranded assets whose costs fall on residential and small-business ratepayers. Breaks down how speculative interconnection requests inflate grid forecasts and how current rate structures let developers shift infrastructure expenses onto existing customers.

Economic Analysis, Energy, Government & Policy, Utilities & Power
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July 17, 2026

The Overlooked Reality of Hyperscale Data Center Security

Pinkerton, a corporate security firm, details the physical defense layers hyperscale data centers deploy — perimeter fencing, surveillance grids, buffer zones and concentric access controls. Site selection risk assessments factor community opposition, power grid stability and local law enforcement capacity alongside traditional crime metrics.

Noise, Safety, Site Location, Technical Resources
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July 13, 2026

The New Coalition Taking on Big Tech’s AI Data Centers

Food & Water Watch launches the Stop Data Centers Coalition, uniting more than 500 organizations from 47 states behind a call for a nationwide moratorium on new data centers. The coalition builds on grassroots wins including 17 local moratoria in North Carolina and blocked proposals across Indiana and Pennsylvania.

Campaign Strategy, Coalition Building, Community Organizing, Government & Policy
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July 9, 2026

From Plantations to Petrochemicals

Rev. Michael Malcolm discusses how current petrochemical and data center developments are situated on lands that were once plantations, perpetuating extraction and environmental racism in Black communities. He advocates for faith leaders to engage in justice work and highlights the importance of community care, coalition-building, and mutual aid as vital responses to the expansion of…

Coalition Building
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July 8, 2026

Interconnection – Oregon Community Solar Program

Portland General Electric, Pacific Power and Idaho Power each run dedicated interconnection queues for community solar projects under Oregon's state rules (OAR 860-082). Covers Tier 2 and Tier 4 review steps, how siting and sizing decisions affect upgrade costs and the Public Utility Commission's role in unresolved transmission cost allocation.

Government & Policy, Technical Resources, Utilities & Power