Residents in Pennsylvania have turned against Governor Shapiro amid strong opposition to a large-scale data center expansion affecting local communities.
The expansion has sparked significant political tension across the state. Local communities struggling with economic challenges have voiced strong concerns about the project's impact, building on earlier public forums where residents criticized rising electricity costs, water use, noise, and lack of transparency.
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Communities across the United States blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects worth about 130 billion dollars from January through March 2026. Researchers described the period as the most blocked and delayed on record since tracking began in 2023. The opposition reflects a structural shift in local resistance to such developments.
Residents packed a virtual town hall meeting to express strong opposition to the rapid expansion of data centers in Pennsylvania. Speakers blamed the projects for higher electricity costs, heavy water consumption, and noise issues while criticizing Governor Josh Shapiro for supporting the industry.
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Opposition to large data centers is emerging across party lines in several states. Recent moves by governors in Texas and New York highlight the trend. Local votes and polling show broad public resistance.
In response to a bipartisan letter from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, the US Energy Information Administration plans a mandatory nationwide survey on data centers' energy use—the first effort to collect such data amid AI-driven growth. WIRED obtained the EIA's letter to the senators detailing the initiative.
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Ohio has suspended tax breaks for new data center projects after losing $1.5 billion in revenue. Ongoing projects will continue to receive the exemptions. New developments will not qualify for now.