Environmental Groups Call for National Data Center Moratorium
Hundreds of environmental groups across the country now say it is time for a national moratorium on the growth of data centers, citing massive concerns involving energy use, water consumption, climate impacts and electricity costs.
None of the organizations that signed the letter operate out of Oklahoma, where the state has a reported 33 data centers, with more development already on the horizon. Still, concerns tied to data center water usage and power demand have already surfaced inside the state.
Oklahoma Residents Voice Local Concerns
Some Yukon residents expressed water concerns in recent months as they learned of the city’s sale of land to a data center developer. Similar claims formed around a data center in eastern Oklahoma, and those worries became the focus of a recent Oklahoma House Committee hearing.
Residents and advocacy groups raised questions over water availability, electricity infrastructure and long-term environmental impacts tied to rapid data center expansion.
More Than 230 Groups Demand Federal Action
This week, more than 230 environmental, state and local groups sent a letter to Congress, calling for an immediate halt to new data center development. The groups described the industry as “one of the biggest environmental and social threats of our generation.” Their letter carried the headline:
“National Data Center Moratorium Now!”
The groups listed what they called the most urgent harms stemming from the rapid expansion of data centers.
Key Environmental and Economic Concerns Cited
The letter stated that:
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Enormous electricity consumption: A tripling of data centers in the next five years would result in data centers consuming as much electricity as about 30 million households.
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Unsustainable water consumption: A tripling of data centers would require as much water as 18.5 million households, used strictly for cooling computer servers.
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Contribution to climate change: 56 percent of the electricity used to power data centers is sourced from fossil fuels.
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Skyrocketing electricity costs: Electricity rates increased 21.3 percent from 2021 to 2024, driven largely by the rapid build-out of data centers.
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Job losses: According to an AI executive, AI could negate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next five years and raise overall unemployment by up to 20 percent.
Groups Urge Immediate Congressional Pause
The 250 groups urged Congress to halt the rapid national expansion and impose strict federal regulation.
“The rapid, largely unregulated rise of data centers to fuel the AI and crypto frenzy is disrupting communities across the country and threatening Americans’ economic, environmental, climate and water security. We urge you to join our call for a national moratorium on new data centers until adequate regulations can be enacted to fully protect our communities, our families, our environment and our health from the runaway damage this industry is already inflicting.”
Organizations Behind the National Letter
The national environmental group Food & Water Watch initiated the letter. Among the signers:
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Physicians for Social Responsibility
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Friends of the Earth
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Greenpeace
Additional supporters included:
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Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety – New Mexico
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Los Alamos Study Group – New Mexico
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Climate Conversation Brazoria County – Texas
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Frontera Water Protectors – Texas
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Hold the Line Campaign – Texas
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Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility
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Turtle Island Restoration Network