Data center opposition surged from 42 to 75 percent in just one year, survey finds
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A Heatmap News survey found that 75 percent of Americans now oppose building a data center near them, up from 42 percent a year earlier, with 61 percent saying they are strongly opposed. A year ago, opinion was nearly split, with 43 percent in favor and 42 percent against. A slim majority against data centers first emerged in February, and journalist Robinson Meyer described the change as a swift, massive shift. The survey was based on repeated polling over the past year and included breakdowns by party and urban-rural location. The findings roughly match a Gallup poll from May, which found 71 percent opposed and 48 percent strongly opposed. According to the article, data centers now rank above racism and Israel as a campaign issue, with top concerns being local power costs, water use, and land use.
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