The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is fueling an unprecedented demand for data centers, sparking a nationwide debate about their potential impact on communities. While proponents tout economic growth and job creation, a significant portion of the American public, concerned about environmental and energy implications, is voicing strong opposition to their construction. This growing resistance is deeply rooted in lived experiences, particularly for residents in communities that have historically borne the brunt of industrial development.
A Legacy of Industrial Impact Fuels Resistance
For Shawmar Pitts, an activist and managing co-director of Philly Thrive, the concerns surrounding new data center developments are far from theoretical. His lifelong connection to the Grays Ferry neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia has provided a stark, firsthand education on the consequences of industrialization. He grew up in the shadow of the former Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery, once the largest oil refinery on the East Coast. The refinery’s operations, which processed up to 335,000 barrels of crude oil daily, cast a long pall over the community.
The devastating explosion at the PES refinery in 2019 marked a turning point, but for many residents, including Pitts, the health repercussions of living in close proximity to such a massive industrial facility were a long-standing, often unspoken reality. It wasn’t until 2018, when Philly Thrive, an environmental justice organization, set up a table in his neighborhood to discuss a proposed refinery expansion, that Pitts began to connect the dots between the pervasive illnesses among his friends and family and the industrial emissions surrounding them.
"I read the information they had on the table about how living near the refinery affects you, and I’m looking at all the sicknesses on this paper, and I’m like, ‘My mother has this, my sister has that, my next-door neighbor suffers from this’ — every house, someone has something on that list," Pitts recounted to TechCrunch. "From that point, I was all the way in." This personal awakening transformed Pitts into a dedicated advocate, now at the forefront of efforts to prevent data centers from being built in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia’s Dual Threat: Refineries and Data Centers
Philadelphia city officials have identified two potential sites for data center development: one in Northeast Philadelphia and another in Pitts’ own Grays Ferry neighborhood. This prospect has galvanized local activists and residents who fear a repeat of the environmental injustices they have endured.
The fight against data centers in Philadelphia is not an isolated incident. Across the United States, communities are pushing back against new data center constructions, particularly in areas with limited resources. However, the opposition is particularly fervent in locales that still bear the indelible marks of past industrial activities.
At a rally held at Philadelphia’s City Hall, Sonya Sanders, president of Philly Thrive’s board, articulated the community’s grievances. "We don’t want data centers. We don’t want the pollution, we don’t want the noise, and we know they’re not going to bring us more jobs," she declared. Sanders’ personal tragedy amplifies the community’s fears. Her husband, also a Grays Ferry resident, passed away in 2020 from a rare bone cancer. Sanders firmly believes that his illness, and the illnesses of many others in the neighborhood, were a direct result of refinery emissions, stating, "In my eyes, they killed him. The pollution killed him. I believe he would be here today if he wasn’t silently murdered, because it was the pursuit of profit that killed him."
The Escalating Environmental Footprint of AI
While a data center’s environmental impact may not mirror the sheer scale of the now-defunct PES refinery, the burgeoning AI industry presents a significant and growing threat to environmental sustainability. The insatiable demand for computing power to train and run AI models translates into a massive energy requirement for data centers.
According to BloombergNEF, U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035. This projection represents a significant increase, nearly doubling the firm’s estimate from just nine months prior, highlighting the accelerating pace of demand.
Natural gas, while cleaner than some other fossil fuels, is far from benign. The combustion of natural gas releases greenhouse gases. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that burning one cubic foot of natural gas releases approximately 60 grams of carbon dioxide. The projected increase in data center demand is expected to contribute an additional 1 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution daily, accounting for roughly 12% of current U.S. emissions. A 2021 study by Harvard University researchers linked fossil fuel air pollution to one in five deaths worldwide, a stark statistic that raises alarms about the potential health consequences of this escalating demand in the AI era.
Annie Fox, an attorney with the Clean Air Council, voiced her concerns at the rally regarding the specific infrastructure of planned data centers. "A typical data center planned in Pennsylvania has hundreds of diesel engines that spew air pollution, and even if they’re supposedly reserved for emergencies, the government has already said that the data center should use those rather than drawing from an overstressed electrical grid during some heat waves," Fox explained. "We can expect that to get more frequent… Fossil fuel-hungry data centers will worsen climate change, making those heatwaves more frequent and severe."
A Growing Movement for Moratoriums and Scrutiny
The widespread concerns about the environmental and societal impacts of data centers are resonating with policymakers. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul took a decisive step by signing an executive order that temporarily halts the approval of new permits for large data center projects. During a press conference, Hochul stated, "Progress shouldn’t arrive with a higher utility bill, deleted water supply, or noise pollution. These data centers can only be built, should only be built in places that want them."
This sentiment is echoed by numerous municipalities across the United States that have implemented data center moratoriums. Cities such as Denver, Indianapolis, Asheville, Charlotte, and Reno have paused new construction to allow officials to conduct thorough assessments of the potential impacts. These moratoriums serve as a crucial period for gathering data and understanding the long-term consequences of these massive industrial facilities on local resources, infrastructure, and community well-being.
Resident Concerns Extend Beyond Environmental Impact
The apprehension surrounding data centers extends beyond just air and water quality. Donna Greenberg, a Philadelphia resident who attended the "No Data Centers in Philly" rally, articulated a broader set of worries. "I’m worried about pollution. I’m worried about surveillance and the fact that they’re going to have access to information they have no business knowing, and I’m concerned that they’re going to be using water and electricity that takes away from the people and the neighborhoods who need it," she told TechCrunch. These concerns touch upon issues of data privacy, resource allocation, and the potential for increased strain on already taxed public utilities.
The "No Data Centers in Philly" campaign kicked off with a rally drawing over 100 attendees, a testament to the growing grassroots opposition. The vocal demonstration outside City Hall signaled a clear message to city officials: communities are increasingly unwilling to bear the environmental and social costs of unchecked industrial expansion, especially when the promised economic benefits are perceived as disproportionately favoring corporations over residents.
"I just think that our community standing up and fighting back is tremendous," Pitts emphasized. "It takes a lot of effort and a lot of people." As the AI revolution accelerates, the debate over data center development is poised to intensify, with communities like Philadelphia leading the charge for a more equitable and sustainable approach to technological advancement. The success of these local movements may well shape the future landscape of digital infrastructure and its impact on the environment and the lives of ordinary citizens.
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