Data & Society ethnography finds growing local opposition to data center projects in Pennsylvania
A new Data & Society report based on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork and 44 interviews (2024–2026) documents diverse and growing local opposition in Pennsylvania to data center construction tied to AI investment, driven by economic, environmental, health, and governance concerns; trade unions remain a notable source of support. The piece notes industry boosterism (e.g., Data Center Coalition/Pennsylvania Connects) and cites trackers reporting $68 billion in disrupted data center projects in Q2 2026.