Project approval will hinge on local benefit guarantees

In January 2026, more than 230 US-based advocacy groups signed a letter urging the US Congress to impose a complete moratorium on data center construction, pending tight regulations. This coordinated effort bears little resemblance to the data center resistance of the past. Opposition to data centers is scaling from local disputes into a national movement and has little interest in negotiation.

As this public opposition to data center development intensifies, many data center companies are investing in trust-focused rebranding— but these media campaigns will not be enough to sway public opinion.