Feature Article: "The Data Center Backlash Bursts Into the Midterms"

The New York Times

Shane Goldmacher

August 23, 2026

Data Centers! The construction of these massive properties around the country has been met with vastly different opinions and concerns; some positive, some negative. Of course, in many cases, the issues on both sides tend to ignore the primary reason for the construction of these centers, ie: AI – Artificial Intelligence. AI alone is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Most of these centers are being constructed in very rural areas due to the low cost of land as these centers typically require thousands of acres. The Meta site in northeastern Louisiana alone totals approximately 3,200 acres. These sites are changing these rural communities radically and some are protesting that issue as well as the power consumption, the political intrigues involved in the approval process, tax abatements and the list goes on…

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