Data Center Expansion Sparks Environmental Backlash Across the US

A wave of local opposition is mounting against data center construction across the United States, driven by concerns over environmental damage and resource consumption. In Florida, a proposed 600MW hyperscale data center in western Palm Beach County, just 16 miles from Mar-a-Lago, has alarmed environmentalists who warn it could harm the Everglades. The facility, planned on a 202-acre parcel surrounded by water, threatens to exacerbate toxic algal blooms in a water system already stressed by drought and runoff, potentially undermining $6 billion in federal and state restoration efforts. Meanwhile, Chicago's mayor has demanded a moratorium on data center development following community backlash, reflecting a broader trend of civic resistance to the industry's rapid expansion.