Could Data Centers Actually Be Good For Your Town?

Data centers have become the thing Americans on both sides of the aisle love to hate. But Eric Levitz, senior correspondent at Vox, argues that some of the environmental affects are overstated, and that in some areas they may be a net positive for the community.  Photo: MOUNT CARMEL, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES - 2026/06/23: A yard sign opposing a planned data center is displayed along Route 54 in Mount Carmel Township Northumberland County. In Mount Carmel Township, grassroots opposition has surged as residents display yard signs and demand a multi-year moratorium to protect their community from a massive proposed AI data center campus. The local resistance is driven by severe concerns over potential noise pollution, the industrialization of local land, and a massive strain on the power grid and water supply that could trigger utility rate hikes and local rationing. (Photo by Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.