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Data Centers

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Data Centers' Water Footprint Rivals Major California Urban Use
environment-and-energy8 hours ago

Data Centers' Water Footprint Rivals Major California Urban Use

A Ceres study finds data centers in seven states withdraw about 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater annually for electricity, equating to roughly 12 times the combined annual water use of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Washington, DC, and signaling serious water-stress risks as data-center growth continues. The report emphasizes withdrawals (the total water drawn, much of which is returned) versus consumption (water permanently lost), with local impacts depending on conditions. Some researchers, however, argue that nationwide indirect consumptive use is far smaller, around 650,000 acre-feet, so relying on withdrawals alone can misstate risk. The findings raise concerns for arid regions like Texas and Arizona amid expanding AI-driven data-center development.

via Bloomberg Law News|
#california#consumptive-use#data-centers
politics10 hours ago

Data centers turn into a cross‑partisan political flashpoint as voters push back

Voters are turning against data-center development, forcing Republicans and Democrats to pivot from earlier endorsements to calls for moratoriums or stricter rules. Internal polls show the issue rising in competitiveness across swing races, with concerns about energy and water use, noise, and AI implications driving skepticism even among traditionally pro‑data‑center candidates. The shift is reshaping campaign messaging ahead of 2028 as politicians try to avoid being left behind by shifting public sentiment.

via Politico|
#data-centers#elections-2026#energy-consumption
Texas Poll Signals Tight Senate Battle, Abbott Edge, and Data-Center Backlash
politics12 hours ago

Texas Poll Signals Tight Senate Battle, Abbott Edge, and Data-Center Backlash

A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll of 1,200 registered voters (Aug. 5–13, MOE ~2.8–3.5) finds the U.S. Senate race in Texas statistically tied (Talarico 42% to Paxton 39%), Gov. Greg Abbott leading Democrat Gina Hinojosa 45% to 40%, and broad opposition to local data centers (57% oppose). Independents favor Talarico while Republicans stay loyal to Paxton; Libertarian and 'no preference' options also appear in the results.

via USA Today|
#data-centers#governor#politics
Data centers spark cross-state debates over water, power, and local control
politics16 hours ago

Data centers spark cross-state debates over water, power, and local control

Across Nebraska and New Mexico, communities weigh the economics of data-center development against environmental and resource concerns. Nebraska’s Cass County approved a 12-month moratorium that could stall Tenaska’s potential energy/data-center project and nearby CyrusOne plans, while labor groups tout local jobs. In New Mexico, Oracle’s Project Jupiter faces a court challenge over water withdrawals, raising fears drought-stricken regions could lose farms and services. Republicans and Democrats alike frame data centers as either economic boosters or environmental risks, leading to pauses and stricter oversight of grid impacts and water use.

via AP News|
#data-centers#energy#nebraska
Data Centers Become Political Leverage in Energy Debate
politics17 hours ago

Data Centers Become Political Leverage in Energy Debate

Climate Power argues that public opinion against AI data centers creates a political opening around rising energy costs and environmental concerns, urging Democrats to frame the issue around three principles: tech companies should pay their own way, data centers should be powered by clean energy, and communities must have a real say over water and energy use. The memo contrasts Democrats with Trump’s pro-data-center stance and notes GOP candidates’ evolving talk on accountability, while signaling that a policy debate could range from enforceable guardrails to a moratorium. The memo was circulated to major Democratic groups as midterms approach and 2028 prospects loom.

via Axios|
#climate-change#data-centers#democrats
US Data Centers Fuel a Gas-Power Surge for AI Expansion
energy20 hours ago

US Data Centers Fuel a Gas-Power Surge for AI Expansion

A Global Energy Monitor study shows gas-powered projects for US data centers more than doubled to over 189 GW by mid-2026, as tech companies lean on private, behind-the-meter gas plants to meet AI energy demand. The shift speeds up gas-fired capacity while raising climate concerns due to emissions, especially from inefficient turbines, and carries long-term risks if these projects become locked-in infrastructure despite ongoing uncertainties about financing, opposition, and turbine supply.

via WIRED|
#behind-the-meter#data-centers#emissions
Data centers as a democracy test in the 2026 midterms
politics1 day ago

Data centers as a democracy test in the 2026 midterms

Vox frames the data-center backlash as a democracy story shaping the 2026 midterms: opposition to AI data centers stems from a feeling of being unheard and concerns about local costs (noise, water use, higher bills) rather than pure technophobia. Polls show broad bipartisan opposition (about 71% nationwide, with strong numbers across Democrats, independents, and Republicans) and the perception that the benefits are abstract while the costs are tangible. Voters aren’t Luddites: many use AI but worry about the pace and secrecy of projects. The left backs moratoria or tighter regulation, while centrists are divided, setting up a clash over how to govern AI and infrastructure as elections approach.

via vox.com|
#ai-backlash#data-centers#democracy
Nvidia leans on diversification as a handful of cloud giants drive its AI-data center sales
business1 day ago

Nvidia leans on diversification as a handful of cloud giants drive its AI-data center sales

Nvidia’s earnings will test whether its AI-data-center growth can outpace dependence on a small group of hyperscalers (Amazon, Google, Microsoft, plus Meta and SpaceX). While ACIE revenue has been expanding faster, investors worry about continued concentration and the sustainability of hyperscaler spending, even as Nvidia ramps Vera Rubin shipments and pursues GPU-based asset financing to broaden its customer base. Analysts expect Q2 revenue around $92 billion with data-center sales representing the bulk, and full-year revenue near $396 billion as the company seeks diversification beyond its top customers.

via CNBC|
#ai#business#data-centers
Paxton rolls out data-center crackdown framed around AI safety
politics1 day ago

Paxton rolls out data-center crackdown framed around AI safety

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton unveiled a four-point 'data center plan' proposing federal legislation to curb Chinese technology in data centers and criminal liability for centers powering AI that harms children, arguing the move protects Texas communities while backing Gov. Abbott’s guardrails; the plan comes as Paxton faces a tight reelection race against Democrat James Talarico, who accuses him of industry ties and questions feasibility, highlighting broad Republican backlash to data centers in rural areas.

via The Washington Post|
#ai#data-centers#election
The Data Center Gold Rush That Could Redraw America
technology1 day ago

The Data Center Gold Rush That Could Redraw America

Hyperscalers including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta and Oracle plan to spend about $750B this year on AI infrastructure for data centers—the largest capital project in human history—driving a nationwide buildout that strains utilities, land, water, and skilled labor while sparking a broad, bipartisan political backlash at federal, state, and local levels; Meta’s 5 GW Hyperion campus and Nvidia-backed plans illustrate the scale and economic ripple effects across construction, energy, and local communities.

via Axios|
#ai-infrastructure#data-centers#energy-grid
Trump’s SC Runoff Rally Fails to Seal Graham Support Amid Foreign-Policy Doubts
politics1 day ago

Trump’s SC Runoff Rally Fails to Seal Graham Support Amid Foreign-Policy Doubts

In South Carolina’s GOP runoff, some Trump supporters aren’t convinced by Darline Graham after a debate moment on foreign policy, signaling limits to Trump’s sway. The piece also notes a broader GOP–Democratic recalibration on data-center development as a political issue, with candidates nationwide proposing tighter regulation or moratoriums while Trump touts the industry’s AI-powered growth.

via NBC News|
#data-centers#graham#politics
politics2 days ago

Canberra's Data-Center Push and the Quest to Retain Its Young Talent

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr argues Canberra should become Australia’s data‑center hub, powered 100% by renewables with water‑efficient cooling, to attract and keep young, talented people. In a wide interview, he discusses National Cabinet’s work on AI standards, Canberra’s infrastructure ambitions (including a tram spine and higher-education expansion), and housing affordability as keys to growth. He famously says he “inherited 100 suburbs in search of the city,” describing efforts to transform neighborhoods while preserving leafy suburbs. Barr also notes Canberra’s role as a knowledge capital and a model for balancing climate action, investment, and livability ahead of a potential merger of universities and a stronger higher-ed footprint.

via Politico|
#andrew-barr#artificial-intelligence#canberra
GOP wrestles with data-center backlash as Trump hails AI benefits
politics2 days ago

GOP wrestles with data-center backlash as Trump hails AI benefits

Republican candidates in pivotal races are scrambling to align with growing voter skepticism about data centers, even as Trump promotes their benefits and the role of artificial intelligence. The backlash—rooted in concerns about energy use, local traffic, and other community impacts—has become a defining midterm issue, pushing Republicans to weigh the economic perks of data-center development against the political risk of alienating anxious voters in key districts.

via NBC News|
#ai#data-centers#midterms