Why are people against data centers? Florida projects are taking heat

• Generative AI models require the backing of physical data centers that demand huge amounts of power and water.
• As interest in the technology has ballooned, more data centers have popped up across the country, including in Florida.
• The data centers have received backlash from the communities they're intended to be built in, given the strain they have the potential to cause.

Over the past few years, interest in generative artificial intelligence has ballooned – and so have the resources required to support it.

Data centers – large physical sites that house the technology needed to maintain digital infrastructure, including generative AI models – have popped up all over the country, including in Florida, where they’ve received significant pushback. From inflating power costs for consumers to requiring gross amounts of water for cooling, data centers are frequently putting the communities they’re built near under significant strain.

"When data centers are built, they raise utility rates for nearby communities," a study from the University of Michigan states. "As demand surges, utility companies often pass the costs of infrastructure upgrades and increased energy procurement onto residents and small businesses through higher rates."

Proposed data centers in Florida are facing their share of backlash – including a complex that's intended to be built on a 200-acre property in Loxahatchee, along with another planned in Fort Meade on a 1,300-acre site.

Worries regarding environmental impact

The environmental repercussions caused by data centers have become a concern for many, with rising opposition to the resource-guzzling facilities emerging online and among lawmakers.

"Large data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons per day, equivalent to the water use of a town populated by 10,000 to 50,000 people," according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.

"With larger and new AI-focused data centers, water consumption is increasing alongside energy usage and carbon emissions," the post continues.

How many data centers are already in Florida?

According to the World Resources Institute, Virginia is the state that houses the most data centers, with 566 in the state as of January 2026. Florida ranks 10th with most data centers in the U.S., with 107.

If you want to see where Florida's data centers are located, you can use the interactive map on the Data Center Map website. There are 103 Florida data centers on the map as of April 22, 2026.

Here are seven ways data centers affect communities in the US, from the World Resources Institute:

• Soaring energy demand, higher utility bills: "As technology advances and computing demand grows, data centers are becoming increasingly energy hungry. A single modern AI data center can use as much power as 100,000 homes; many of the larger ones now being built are expected to consume up to 20 times that amount."
• Local water supply impacts: "Recent estimates project that by 2028, AI-related data centers in the U.S. could require up to 32 billion gallons of water annually. This is enough to support roughly 360,000 households’ indoor water use."
• Air pollution and climate impacts: "Data centers need a constant and reliable power supply. Many facilities rely on gas-fired generation for routine operations alongside diesel generators for emergency backup. Both come with climate and health risks."
• Noise pollution: "Data center construction, rooftop cooling systems and backup generators can be disruptively noisy. Smaller diesel generators reportedly reach 85 decibels, levels that can harm hearing. Larger industrial units can approach 100 decibels — equivalent to a motorcycle or jackhammer."
• Competition for land use: "Massive data centers are reshaping how land is used in many communities. In 2024, the average data center site covered about 224 acres or 0.35 square miles — roughly the size of 450 football fields."
• Pressure on marginalized communities: "[Many data centers] are in census tracts with above-median environmental burdens, such as air pollution, park access and water pollution, as measured by the Center for Disease Control’s Environmental Justice Index. Many were located in areas with social vulnerability indicators, such as poverty and lower education levels."
• Limited job opportunities: "Data center development can create real economic opportunities ... Yet these positions are fairly limited. A review of more than 1,200 U.S. data centers found that even the largest employ fewer than 150 permanent workers, and sometimes as few as 25."

Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. Lianna Norman is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.