Data centres emerge as bipartisan concern in US midterms
Data centers in Loudoun County, Virginia, have become a contentious issue in the US midterm elections due to concerns over water usage, environmental impact, and landscape changes. While some residents appreciate the tax benefits, public opinion has shifted toward skepticism, prompting political candidates to address the backlash.
Why it matters
It illustrates the growing tension between the infrastructure needs of the digital economy and local community environmental and quality-of-life concerns.
"Before you used to have nice, wooded areas when you drive back to our neighbourhoods and whatnot, and now it's just you're driving through data centres."
Residents of Loudoun County in Virginia understand why it is called the data centre capital of the world, but it is clear that for some, it is no longer a title they are proud of.
"They're a bit much at this point. A couple were fine, and now it seems like everywhere there's a data centre, and they're popping up still constantly," local man Josh said.
Loudoun County, just outside Washington DC, has been a model for the data centre, as it hosts around 250 of them.
However, it is now also a case study in the fierce debate surrounding them, a debate that is being echoed around the country.
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