In Q1 2026 alone, at least 75 US data center projects collectively worth around $130 billion faced significant local opposition, more than double the roughly $64 billion worth of projects delayed or canceled throughout all of 2025. A Gallup poll released in May 2026 found that 71% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their communities. Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a statewide audit and paused new approvals, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order halting large data center permits. Banks JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have begun reassessing risk profiles for these projects, with Meta’s contested facility in El Paso becoming a case study in the new financing dynamics.
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