More than 300 US local governments have banned or suspended hyperscale data center construction, representing approximately $64 billion in stalled or delayed projects since 2025, potentially reaching $130 billion. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are facing organized resistance driven by concerns over utility rate hikes, farmland destruction, and aquifer damage. A national day of protest on July 18, 2026, saw 142 demonstrations across 42 states, with only 14% of Americans comfortable having a data center near their home. This movement is also spreading globally, with Meta abandoning a 200 MW project in the Netherlands following local opposition that escalated into a national moratorium.
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