Originally published at: Is the Data Center Backlash Just NIMBY Run Amok? - TPM – Talking Points Memo
In response to my post about this data center backlash outside of Kansas City (specifically Independence, Missouri), I’ve been fielding the range of ideas people have about hyperscale AI data centers. As you’d probably expect, the vast majority of people are against them and excited to see this kind of backlash through the architecture of…
The rush to be first to give you some actor’s back story whether you want it or not at the cost increasing CO2 emissions is not apt to inspire adulation anytime soon. There are better usages for AI – medical research. – but a lot of of it is simply junk.
Further, people stay in or move to these ‘declining rural towns’ largely because they want to. There are several very real drawbacks – funds for education and access to medical care come to mind. But everyone knows they could move to the big city if they wanted to and a large proportion of the young actually do. So there is a great deal of appeal in peace and quiet and knowing all your neighbors – possibly your families have known each other for generations. Having a large industrial facility demanding lots of water, increasing utilitiy costs and polluting the area while intimating they will be better behaved in the future is not enticing.
As to the NIMBY argument … get back to me the first time one of these tech bros erects a data center next to their own mansion or their own kids’ school.
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