More Than 200 Environmental Groups Urge Moratorium on New US Datacenters

More Than 200 Environmental Groups Urge Moratorium on New US Datacenters
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More than 230 environmental organizations have called for a nationwide halt on new datacenter construction in the United States, citing growing concerns over rising electricity costs, water consumption, and climate impacts linked to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, The Guardian reported.

In a letter to Congress, groups including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food & Water Watch warned that the “largely unregulated” growth of datacenters serving AI and cryptocurrency operations is straining local communities through increased emissions, heavy water use, and higher utility bills. The coalition urged lawmakers to pause approvals until federal regulations are established.

The appeal follows mounting public resistance to datacenter developments by major technology companies such as Meta, Google, and OpenAI. At least 16 planned facilities, collectively valued at more than $60 billion, have already faced delays or rejections over concerns about energy demand and costs. Datacenters’ significant water requirements for cooling have also drawn criticism, particularly in drought-prone regions.

Rising electricity prices have become a prominent political issue in several recent state elections, with voters across party lines linking higher bills to datacenter growth. Analysts note that power demand from AI-related computing is expected to nearly triple over the next decade, adding pressure to aging energy infrastructure and further fueling the national debate over affordability.