Cherokee Nation bans hyperscale data centers on its lands, won’t support projects without consultation — energy and water consumption, air quality, noise, and cultural resource protection among concerns
 Cherokee Nation bans hyperscale data centers on its lands, won’t support projects without consultation — energy and water consumption, air quality, noise, and cultural resource protection among concerns

Cherokee Nation, with more than 475,000 citizens, has banned hyperscale data center development on its tribally owned and trust lands.

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Ex-farm bureau chief invites AI data center developers to buy his land —argues blocked $6.3B project will just move to willing neighbors, defies 500-jurisdiction moratorium wave and 70% public opposition

Blake Hurst spent a decade running the state’s largest farm lobby. Now he’s publicly courting the developers his neighbors froze out.

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Does Mark Zuckerberg really believe AI is ‘for everyone’?

Meta released Glimmer this week, an open-weight AI model anyone can download and run on their own hardware — a contrast to Muse Spark, the company’s more powerful model that stays locked behind its own APIs. The release landed …

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Alabama residents left powerless to stop massive Bitcoin mining data center despite county and town moratoriums — hole in state zoning laws lets facility through

Alabama residents left powerless to stop 50 MW Bitcoin mining facility despite county and town moratoriums thanks to the state’s lack of appropriate zoning laws.

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AI data center developers begin suing local jurisdictions behind bans and moratoriums — claims range from officials exceeding authority to violations of due process and equal protection laws
 AI data center developers begin suing local jurisdictions behind bans and moratoriums — claims range from officials exceeding authority to violations of due process and equal protection laws

Some data center developers are suing local governments for passing temporary bans and moratorium, saying that they such moves violated their rights to due process and equal protection. This move has gotten one county to reverse their decision, while others are still fighting the cases in court.

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AI data center bans surge past 500 nationwide as local US politicians begin blocking new developments — growing public outrage and bipartisan pushback threaten big tech expansion plans
 AI data center bans surge past 500 nationwide as local US politicians begin blocking new developments — growing public outrage and bipartisan pushback threaten big tech expansion plans

New AI data center development bans jumped to over 500 in July, according to recent analysis, with political and public pressure growing.

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Over 70% of Americans oppose AI data centers; US protests intensify as more arrests are being made — almost 40 arrested this year in backlash to AI factory buildout

The public pushback against data center construction projects is only growing stronger, even as some protesting local residents have been arrested in the process.

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Amazon’s new 7.65GW Texas AI data center power plant could become the largest source of CO₂ pollution in the US — custom 35-turbine gas plant authorized to emit 33 million tons of annual greenhouse gases

Amazon is reportedly building a 7.65GW natural gas power plant in Texas to feed a new AI data center, with permits allowing up to 33 million tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

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Kansas town silences public comment on gigawatt AI data center after receiving death threats, moves to virtual meetings — shift follows physics teacher’s arrest for clapping at data center hearing

Emporia, Kansas, switched to virtual city council meetings after death threats intensified against city leaders. The move also canceled public comments, prompting some members of the public to ask why it was affected, too.

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Amazon circumvents community vote for massive AI data center using 45-year-old rules — Gilroy residents locked out of public comment window

Residents of Gilroy, California, were caught by surprise when an Amazon data center started construction in their city. Negotiations for the project started in 2020, with public comments open until 2024, but it flew under the radar.

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