[Nikola.4737n]

Trump says communities that reject data centers are essentially choosing to fall behind, arguing that these facilities can bring jobs, investment and lower taxes.

Trump also warned that resistance to data center construction could benefit China, saying the country “could not be happier” about the growing backlash.

Communities across the U.S. are increasingly pushing back because massive AI data centers can consume huge amounts of electricity and water, while residents worry about higher utility bills, noise and the local environmental impact. More than 70% of Americans surveyed say they don’t want a data center near their home.



sourcesource

[DramaKing]

Chinese people who protest data centers get silenced.

[Prepper]

We have tons of open land away from communities, build them there.

The noise pollution is very well documented and very real as is the rise in electric costs and harm to the water supply.

If Donald Trump thinks these datacenters are no big deal then he should let them build one right next to Mar-a-lago.

[The Pact]

Trump says communities that reject data centers are essentially choosing to fall behind, arguing that these facilities can bring jobs, investment and lower taxes.

Trump also warned that resistance to data center construction could benefit China, saying the country “could not be happier” about the growing backlash.

Communities across the U.S. are increasingly pushing back because massive AI data centers can consume huge amounts of electricity and water, while residents worry about higher utility bills, noise and the local environmental impact. More than 70% of Americans surveyed say they don’t want a data center near their home.



sourcesource

He's probably right about falling behind, but the environmental impact is probably a great concern unless you are....I dunno......an 80 year old man.

[Nikola.4737n]

We have tons of open land away from communities, build them there.

The noise pollution is very well documented and very real as is the rise in electric costs and harm to the water supply.

If Donald Trump thinks these datacenters are no big deal then he should let them build one right next to Mar-a-lago.

Exactly. Nobody is saying don’t build data centers. Build them where they make sense, away from homes and neighborhoods. If these projects are really as harmless as Trump suggests, then there shouldn’t be a problem with putting one next to Mar-a-Lago. It’s easy to call people “anti-growth” when you’re not the one dealing with the noise, higher utility bills, and pressure on the local water supply.

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He's probably right about falling behind, but the environmental impact is probably a great concern unless you are....I dunno......an 80 year old man.

Falling behind isn’t the issue. You can’t ignore the environmental cost just to move faster.

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Chinese people who protest data centers get silenced.

And that’s exactly why people here should protect their right to push back instead of silencing the concerns.

[elghub]

the framing is bad because it turns a local infrastructure debate into a loyalty test.

data centers are not magic jobs. they are energy hungry facilities. the real question is who pays for grid upgrades, water use, noise, and tax revenue. if a community gets real benefits and proper siting, fine. if nearby residents get higher bills and strain while profits go elsewhere, pushback is rational.

[Wide Awake]

Data centers are important, but I don’t think people are crazy for not wanting one next door. The concerns about power costs, water use and noise are pretty legitimate. Gallup actually found about 70% opposed having one built locally.

[Nikola.4737n]

Data centers are important, but I don’t think people are crazy for not wanting one next door. The concerns about power costs, water use and noise are pretty legitimate. Gallup actually found about 70% opposed having one built locally.

Exactly. Supporting AI infrastructure doesn’t mean every community has to accept a data center right next door. There’s a pretty reasonable middle ground between blocking them entirely and ignoring the local costs.

[chumbawumba]

Is there no way to make the data centers solar powered or turbine powered? The wind one might cause some issues but solar power seems so much more safer and efficient

[Prepper]

Is there no way to make the data centers solar powered or turbine powered? The wind one might cause some issues but solar power seems so much more safer and efficient

They can be powered by wind and solar but would still need battery systems and grid back-up power. In my opinion it should be a requirement that all AI datacenters install solar on the roofs their buildings.

There is nothing wrong with using the power grid but they need to pay for any infrastructure upgrades, they need to pay any hikes in costs so it does not fall on residents.

They should all also be required to use closed loop water cooling systems to cut back on a vast majority of water use, and they need to be built at minimum 3 miles away from residential areas and any under 4 miles should require noise mitigation.

There is vast amounts of land many miles away from residential areas, use that land.

[DryNode]

Is there no way to make the data centers solar powered or turbine powered? The wind one might cause some issues but solar power seems so much more safer and efficient

I actually asked my pops this same question, and he said something along the lines of, "You gotta understand, a solar farm needs to be a whole lot bigger than what that data center actually uses, seeing as them panels only put out their full power when the sun's just right."

But then we started talking about combining solar with other energy sources, like wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power, along with massive battery banks to store excess energy. That way they could hopefully keep the data centers running around the clock without relying so heavily on a single power source.

Would be pretty dope to see more data centers built around that kind of setup.