Six ways a facility affects the people who live near one —
every claim sourced, every risk paired with the permit condition that
addresses it. Format inspired by the
Environmental Health Project's
community infographic.
Fossil power plants and diesel backup generators serving data centers emit pollution linked to ~1,300 premature deaths a year by 2030.
UC Riverside & Caltech researchers project that air pollution from U.S. data centers could contribute to roughly 1,300 premature deaths and 600,000 asthma-symptom cases a year by 2030, with public-health costs approaching $20B annually. — Han, Wu, Li, Wierman & Ren
The pollution comes from two places: the fossil-fueled power plants supplying the electricity and on-site diesel backup generators emitting NOx and fine particulates (PM2.5) — both linked to respiratory disease, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer risk. — Han, Wu, Li, Wierman & Ren
The burden lands unevenly: much of the health impact falls on communities near the power plants that serve a data center, which can sit hundreds of miles from the facility itself. — Han, Wu, Li, Wierman & Ren
What to demand: Demand generator run-hour limits, Tier 4 (or battery) backup instead of legacy diesel, and an air-permit review with public comment before any approval.
🔊 Noise pollution
Cooling systems and generators produce a constant low-frequency hum linked to sleep disturbance, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
Data-center cooling systems and backup generators produce a continuous low-frequency hum that travels farther than ordinary sound and penetrates building walls. — Environmental Health Project
The WHO links chronic environmental noise to sleep disturbance, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and cognitive impairment — in Europe, environmental noise contributes to an estimated 48,000 new heart-disease cases and 12,000 premature deaths every year. — European Environment Agency
WHO night-noise recommendations sit around 40-45 dB — the reason our model CBA clause sets 45 dBA at the nearest residential property line. — WHO Europe
What to demand: A 45 dBA limit at the residential property line as a permit condition — measured after commissioning, not just modeled — with quarterly public reporting.
💡 Light pollution
24/7 campus lighting disrupts sleep and circadian rhythms; the AMA has warned about nighttime light exposure since 2012.
The American Medical Association adopted policy in 2012 recognizing nighttime light exposure as a health hazard: it suppresses melatonin and disrupts circadian rhythms. — American Medical Association
Chronic light at night is associated with reduced sleep, impaired daytime functioning, obesity, and mood disorders, with research linking elevated light pollution to higher breast and prostate cancer rates. — American Medical Association
Data center campuses typically run high-intensity exterior security lighting around the clock. — Environmental Health Project
What to demand: Full-cutoff shielded fixtures, color temperature at or below 3000K (the AMA community guidance), and dark-sky-compliant site lighting as approval conditions.
💸 Higher bills
Large loads strain the grid and shift transmission and capacity costs onto residential ratepayers.
PJM's 2025 capacity auction cleared at a record $16.4B — with data centers responsible for roughly 40% (~$6.5B) of the increase, costs that flow through to ratepayers across 13 states. — PJM 2025 capacity auction
Virginia's legislative audit agency (JLARC) found that unconstrained data-center growth will raise costs for other customers absent policy changes — in the state with more data centers than any other. — Virginia JLARC
Berkeley economists warn that who pays for data-center-driven grid expansion is a policy choice: without large-load tariffs, the default is everyone. — UC Berkeley Energy Institute
What to demand: Cost causation as a condition: the developer pays 100% of interconnection and grid upgrades, under a large-load tariff so costs never reach residential bills. Estimate your own exposure in the Local Impact Calculator.
💧 Water consumption
Data centers consume water twice — on site for cooling and at the power plants that supply them — often in water-stressed regions.
About one-fifth of data centers' direct water footprint is drawn from moderately-to-highly water-stressed watersheds, and nearly half of servers are powered by plants in water-stressed regions. — Siddik, Shehabi & Marston
Water is consumed twice: directly for evaporative cooling on site, and indirectly at the thermoelectric power plants generating the electricity. — Siddik, Shehabi & Marston
AI-specific demand is growing fast — researchers project AI's water withdrawal could reach billions of cubic meters a year by 2027, and most operators still don't report site-level water use. — Li et al., Making AI Less Thirsty
What to demand: An enforceable annual water cap in the permit, recycled or non-potable cooling supply, quarterly public metering, and re-approval before expansion.
🌡️ Climate & reliability
Fossil-heavy demand growth raises emissions, strains grid reliability, and adds local waste heat.
U.S. data-center electricity use is projected to reach 325-580 TWh by 2030 (Berkeley Lab) — up to ~12% of national consumption — with much of the new supply coming from natural gas. — Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Hyperscalers are increasingly turning to on-site gas generation as a 'bridge' — locking in fossil combustion next to host communities. — Natural Gas Intelligence
What to demand: Binding 24/7 carbon-free energy commitments, no ratepayer-funded gas buildout, and demand-response/curtailment agreements so the facility sheds load in grid emergencies.