Data center opponents block or delay 75 projects worth $130 billion in Q1 2026; grassroots opposition groups double to 833 across 49 states as communities mobilize against energy demands and environmental impacts.

Data center opponents have blocked or delayed projects worth nearly $130 billion in 2026, study finds

The first quarter of 2026 produced the most blocked and delayed data center projects on record, according to a new study shared with NBC News.The study — conducted by Data Center Watch, a project of the AI intelligence firm 10a Labs that tracks local data center activity — found that data center opponents blocked or delayed at least 75 projects nationwide worth about $130 billion from January through March, the most in a three-month period since the group began tracking in 2023.“The quarter refl...