Activist groups urge Congress to pause US datacenter buildouts (www.theregister.com)

Over 230 activist organizations in the U.S. have signed an open letter urging Congress to pause the rapid expansion of datacenters, citing significant environmental and social concerns. The letter, spearheaded by Food & Water Watch, argues that the current building boom—driven largely by the demands of AI—leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions, heightened electricity costs for consumers, and greater strain on water resources. Analysts project that global datacenter capital expenditure could reach $657 billion by 2025, with U.S. spending dominating this trend. In states like Virginia, the capacity of hyperscale datacenters now surpasses that of entire regions like Europe and China. The call for a moratorium comes at a time when rising power consumption from these facilities has led to increased reliance on coal-fired power generation, contributing to environmental degradation despite companies like Microsoft and Google pledging to achieve net-zero emissions. The activists argue that the public remains largely uninformed about the implications of such infrastructure, which they view as an existential threat, particularly for communities unprepared to manage the subsequent economic impacts. The urgency of their message reflects a growing recognition of the need for regulations addressing these challenges before further expansions occur.