While the functions data centers perform are essential to daily life in so many ways, in regions around the country, they are under growing public pressure. Across the nation and across party lines, communities are pushing back against permitting and construction, including centers badly needed to house the computing power for data, phones, computers, and artificial intelligence.

Some of the main flashpoints fueling opposition include their perceived excessive use of resources, including electricity and water. Communities are increasingly asking how these facilities can grow without overwhelming resources and the livability of regions.