MAGA and Marjorie Taylor Greene Join Anti-Data Center Movement as New York Imposes Moratorium

The article reports on a growing bipartisan backlash against data center construction in the United States. New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a yearlong statewide moratorium on data center construction, alarming Silicon Valley AI lobbyists who fear the precedent could spread. The piece details mounting public opposition driven by environmental concerns: data centers drain water reserves, strain electrical grids, cause light and noise pollution, and generate significant air pollution—with one Northern Virginia facility causing an estimated $53-99 million in annual health damages. A Gallup poll shows 70% of Americans now oppose data centers, including a majority of Republicans. Tucker Carlson has voiced criticism. On July 18, the activist group Humans First, supported by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and America First conservatives, will hold a rally in Washington D.C. demanding a halt to data center construction.