Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks

"But the company needed to rezone more than 450 acres in the Indianapolis suburb, and residents weren't having it. Many were concerned the facility would consume huge amounts of water and electricity while delivering few local benefits. When a lawyer representing Google confirmed at a September public meeting that the company was pulling its data center proposal, cheers erupted from sign-waving residents."

"On one side are companies pouring billions of dollars into data centers, which increasingly are being built to support artificial intelligence models that promise to transform how people live and work. On the other side are residents who worry the construction spree will have dire consequences for the environment, power prices and surrounding communities. How tech companies and government officials handle those concerns will shape the industry's future in the U.S. and the country's competitiveness, according to analysts and academics who track the AI industry."

"They're big buildings that house computer hardware to store and process digital information. They essentially function as the backbone of the internet. Some of the largest cover more than a million square feet the size of more than 17 football fields. When you read this story, or send an email or transfer money from your bank account online, you're relying on data centers scattered a"

Google pursued a giant data center campus in Franklin, Indiana that required rezoning of more than 450 acres, prompting local residents to oppose the plan. Residents raised concerns that the facility would consume large amounts of water and electricity while providing few local benefits, leading to the company withdrawing the proposal at a public meeting. Similar disputes are occurring nationwide as firms invest billions in data centers to support artificial intelligence models. Residents worry about environmental impacts, higher power prices, and effects on surrounding communities. How companies and officials address these concerns will influence the industry's U.S. development and competitiveness.

Read at www.npr.org