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Data Center Tax Breaks Come at the Cost of Our Public Schools
This West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy analysis traces how HB 2014's tax breaks and deregulation for "High Impact Data Centers" cut into the property, sales and income taxes that fund public schools. Under the law, property tax revenue from these data centers sends 70 percent to state priorities and just 30 percent to…
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The People Say No: Resisting Data Centers in the South
This is a report from MediaJustice on data center expansion across the U.S. South, with state-by-state chapters on Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina. It tracks $200 billion in current data center projects, the gas pipelines and nuclear plants being built to power them, and the higher electricity rates households will pay as companies…
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An Investor Guide to Addressing Electric Power Risk from Data Center Growth
The rapid buildout of data centers across the U.S. is requiring vast amounts of new electricity to fuel the AI boom. Data centers currently use more than 4% to 5% of U.S. electricity, and that is only set to expand. Along with real opportunities, the growing demand for electricity to power AI data centers creates…
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The Power Behind AI: Wave of Dirty Gas Power Plants Planned for Data Centers
Environmental Integrity Project identifies at least 74 natural gas plants dedicated to data centers across the U.S., projected to emit 662 million tons of greenhouse gases and 159,142 tons of air pollutants each year. Texas holds 32 of the plants. The report profiles community opposition in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee and Texas.
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Discharge from AI Data Centers and How to Mitigate Contamination
140,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions are projected annually by 2028 from wastewater treatment tied to AI data center cooling. Rising contaminant loads include biocides, corrosion inhibitors, heavy metals and dissolved solids. Real-time water quality monitoring tracks nitrates, pH and conductivity in facility discharge.
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Rivers and Data Centers
A single large data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily, matching the use of 15,000 homes. Power plants supplying that electricity also withdraw billions of gallons from rivers. Companies routinely keep this water-use data confidential, blocking local communities and regulators from planning around it.
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Navigating Environmental Concerns Confronting U.S. Data Centers Related to Water Quantity and Quality
State legislatures introduced 28 data center bills, but only six addressed water use, and none impose enforceable limits. A literature review finds water withdrawal, consumption and wastewater discharge remain largely undocumented, even as siting decisions and community pushback increasingly hinge on those numbers. Regulatory frameworks lag site development pace, leaving industry with reporting and conservation…
Exposing AI Data Center Threats and Harms