By any objective measure, data centers have become as essential to the twenty-first century economy as highways were to the twentieth century. Yet across the country, opposition is growing to the construction of new data centers, often based on misconceptions about their environmental impact and utility. The reality is simple: If Americans want social media, instant communication, cloud computing, online banking, streaming services, telemedicine, e-commerce, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, then America must build the infrastructure that makes all of it possible.
Every photo uploaded to Facebook, every video streamed on YouTube, every credit card transaction processed online, every Google search, every Zoom call and every AI query depends on data centers. They are not optional luxuries. They are the physical backbone of the digital economy.
Critics often speak about data centers as if they serve only technology companies. In truth, they serve everyone. Small businesses rely on cloud services to operate. Hospitals depend on digital records and imaging systems. Schools use online learning platforms. Local governments house critical public records in secure data environments. Nearly every modern industry now depends on data centers in one form or another.
The explosive growth of artificial intelligence has only increased this demand. AI models require massive computational resources for training and operation. As businesses, governments and consumers increasingly adopt AI-powered tools, the need for reliable digital infrastructure will continue to expand. Those who enjoy the convenience and productivity benefits of AI while opposing the facilities required to power it are advocating for a contradiction.
One of the most common objections to data centers involves water consumption. While water use deserves thoughtful management, critics frequently present the issue without proper context.
Agriculture remains by far the largest water user in the United States, accounting for hundreds of billions of gallons annually for irrigation and livestock production. Golf courses, recreational landscaping, manufacturing facilities, thermoelectric power generation and residential water use collectively consume vastly more water than data centers. A single golf course in a warm climate may consume millions of gallons of water each month. Irrigated agriculture uses orders of magnitude more water than most data center operations.
Moreover, many modern data centers increasingly utilize advanced cooling technologies, reclaimed water systems, closed-loop cooling and other innovations designed to reduce freshwater consumption. Like any industrial facility, water usage should be managed responsibly, but portraying data centers as uniquely wasteful ignores the broader reality of where America’s water is actually consumed.
Another frequent concern is energy demand. This issue deserves serious consideration, but here again critics often overlook a significant development.
The Trump Administration recognized that America’s leadership in artificial intelligence and advanced computing depends on expanding both computing capacity and energy production. In 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14318, directing federal agencies to accelerate permitting and development of data center infrastructure and the energy facilities needed to support it. The order explicitly recognized that data centers and the infrastructure powering them are critical to national security and economic growth.
More importantly, the Administration followed by securing commitments from major technology companies through the 2026 Ratepayer Protection Pledge. Under that framework, leading AI and cloud providers agreed to “build, bring or buy” new generation resources and pay for required infrastructure upgrades rather than simply shifting those costs onto existing ratepayers. The pledge was specifically designed to ensure that new data center demand would be accompanied by new power generation and grid investments.
In other words, the policy direction is not to burden communities with new energy demand while doing nothing to expand supply. The expectation is that major technology firms help create the additional energy infrastructure needed to support their operations.
There is also a broader strategic issue at stake. The global race for artificial intelligence leadership is intensifying. Nations that build the digital and energy infrastructure necessary to support advanced computing will enjoy enormous economic advantages. Those that do not will fall behind. Data centers are no different than ports, railroads, highways, airports or power plants. They are strategic assets that enable future prosperity.
Communities that welcome responsible data center development gain construction jobs, permanent technical positions, increased tax revenue, infrastructure investments and economic diversification. These facilities often attract related technology businesses and create opportunities for skilled tradespeople, engineers, electricians and contractors. For many communities, data centers represent a significant opportunity for economic growth.
Of course, every project should be evaluated carefully: Environmental standards should be enforced; Water resources should be protected; Energy infrastructure should be expanded responsibly; But rejecting data centers outright because they consume water or electricity is akin to rejecting airports because planes use fuel or hospitals because they consume power.
The digital economy is not going away. Americans are using more social media, more cloud services, more internet-connected devices and more AI applications every year. The question is not whether the demand exists. The demand is already here.
SEE ALSO: DATA CENTER SURGE: PRE-DEVELOPED SPACE ALREADY 90% LEASED
