Data center opposition hits the ballot box
Voters in 10 U.S. states and 38 local jurisdictions will consider measures to curb data center development, as resistance grows in Finland, Norway and Australia. U.S. data center capacity under construction rose 48% from December to June.
1. Resistance spreads
Data centers are facing opposition in several countries. In Finland, police opened a criminal investigation into suspected environmental law breaches at the construction site of a planned Google data center near Muhos. Authorities said Tuike Finland, a Google subsidiary, cleared forest and carried out drainage before completing required environmental impact assessments.
2. Permits and power
Police cited preliminary ambiguities and shortcomings in drainage and water management at the site and said the investigation would extend into 2027. Google said it would cooperate and continue to focus on compliance. In Norway, some politicians are calling for a halt to data center permitting and construction, citing concerns about jobs and power prices. Australia is also considering similar policies after a developer scrapped its target start date for a major planned data center.
3. U.S. ballot measures
Voters in 10 states will decide whether to curb data center development, while 38 local jurisdictions will consider at least 41 related measures. In Ohio, voters in more than a dozen jurisdictions will consider 21 proposals. Despite the opposition, U.S. data center capacity under construction rose 48% between December and June, measured in gigawatts, Cushman & Wakefield’s John McWilliams said.
