Survey: Californians overwhelmingly opposed to new data centers

CalMatters reports that seventy-three percent of Californians oppose new data centers in their communities, according to a recent survey from the Public Policy Institute of California. The opposition crosses party lines, though Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to support construction. Environmental concerns are a major driver of the opposition. That tension carries real economic weight: the AI industry supporting these data centers generates over six hundred sixty-five thousand California jobs and billions in state and local taxes. Recent protests and Monterey Park's outright ban on new facilities show the issue has turned contentious.

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