Walker, Carla, and Ian Goldsmith. “From Energy Use to Air Quality, the Many Ways Data Centers Affect US Communities.” World Resources Institute, 17 Feb. 2026, www.wri.org/insights/us-data-center-growth-impacts.
Summary: This article further contextualizes the current data center boom in the US and the economic and political reasoning for this rapid development, as well as covering in-depth potential impacts of the building of these data centers for nearby local communities such as air, water, and noise pollution, and how States and organizations involved with construction and development plans have been working to find solutions to these issues.
Why this matters: While previous articles posted to this site offer information on data center development in Michigan, this article offers a wider picture of the US as a whole. Giving broader context to the issue country wide, additionally, the article goes further in detail on the social and environmental impacts of these new data center projects on surrounding communities, as well as potential solutions.
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