{"id":20892,"date":"2026-04-13T17:01:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T00:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/?p=20892"},"modified":"2026-04-13T17:05:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T00:05:50","slug":"review-reports-data-centers-policy-impacts-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/2026\/04\/13\/review-reports-data-centers-policy-impacts-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"A Review of Recent Reports on Data Centers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2026\/04\/Blog_header_data_centers_research-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2026\/04\/Blog_header_data_centers_research-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2026\/04\/Blog_header_data_centers_research-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2026\/04\/Blog_header_data_centers_research-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"a screened background of a room filled with walls of data servers behind the blog title, \"A Review of Recent Reports on Data Centers: Policy, Impacts, and Equity\"\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>A Review of Recent Reports on Data Centers<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Policy, Impacts, and Equity\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n          <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span>Austin Mendoza, ERI Data Analyst II<\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">April 13, 2026<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" 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cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/articles\/the-future-of-data-centers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data centers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have rapidly multiplied in the United States in recent years<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 5,000 are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/webuildprogress.org\/explainer-2025-11-18-data-center-boom?emci=5d272f70-84c5-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;emdi=f68d8287-86c5-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;ceid=29639187\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">currently operational<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with over half built since 2021. The rise of the artificial intelligence (AI) sector has fueled the demand for data centers, which house massive supercomputers that act as the nerve centers for AI processing networks. Research has found that these facilities and developments consume a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.next10.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-11\/ai-environmental-public-health-costs.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">massive amount of energy and water<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and have often been approved in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mediajustice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MediaJustice-Data-Center-Report.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">less-than-transparent processes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They are also often promised as employment boons for communities, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodandwaterwatch.org\/2026\/01\/07\/new-research-debunks-data-center-industry-job-claims\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do not offer significant long-term employment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after construction is completed. In response, advocacy groups across the country have raised serious concerns and started to push back against this energy-intensive infrastructure. Below is a selection of five recent reports documenting the work of advocates striving to ensure that data centers\u2014if they are built at all\u2014are regulated and have minimal adverse impacts on the communities where they are located.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/webuildprogress.org\/explainer-2025-11-18-data-center-boom?emci=5d272f70-84c5-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;emdi=f68d8287-86c5-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;ceid=29639187\"><b><i>How States Are Approaching the Data Center Boom (Steinberg and Carol, 2025)<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This report from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/webuildprogress.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We Build Progress<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> looks at state and local policies around data centers, as the industry expands in the absence of sufficient federal regulation. According to their analysis, most state and local policies actually incentivize data center construction through tax breaks and subsidies, viewing them as an economic opportunity rather than something to be regulated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some policies and advocates have made attempts to regulate these developments: over 100 grassroots groups worked to block data center projects between May 2024 and March 2025, with notable successes in Arizona, Maryland, and Michigan. States have also created a patchwork of regulations around energy efficiency standards, grid protection, energy usage payments, and environmental reporting requirements. Other states, like Florida, have rescinded some of their tax breaks for smaller data centers, while some groups have called for state or national moratoriums on new data center development. The report urges that \u201cstates and municipalities must act quickly to implement regulations and coordinate strategies for responsible data center development\u201d\u2014if they even want them developed in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We Build Progress also maintains a living, publicly-available <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/17Ol66fOIMktqwVyQuA4uLfZ4LKZsQQnwv54kjDi4C6w\/edit?gid=538334972#gid=538334972\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">database of data center policies and regulations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/static1.squarespace.com\/static\/580a3e6403596e9f6d5a46bf\/t\/68433e87833ded643de5c957\/1749237385087\/KAIROS_ORGANIZERGUIDE_DATACENTERS_DIGITAL-v2.pdf\"><b><i>The Costs of Data Centers to Our Communities \u2013 And How to Fight Back (Kairos Fellowship and MediaJustice, 2025)<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors of this analysis from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kairosfellows.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kairos Fellowship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mediajustice.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MediaJustice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> argue that data centers serve as tools for a \u201cmanufactured AI boom\u201d that relies on ever-increasing computing power for their operation by tech corporations. The report asserts that the current rapid expansion of these projects \u201cfar surpasses what is necessary for our everyday digital lives and what our resources can sustain\u2026all for speculative technologies that don\u2019t make our lives better\u201d\u2014all while being enabled through opaque, non-public processes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their work outlines several strategies, including learning about data center development in their local communities and states; advocating for zoning reforms, tax policy changes, and increased transparency; and organizing to reimagine data centers and our energy infrastructure as a whole, including ideas like public control of utilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.next10.org\/publications\/ai-environmental-public-health-impacts\"><b><i>An Assessment of California Data Centers\u2019 Environmental and Public Health Impacts (UC Riverside and Next 10, 2025)<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this 2025 report, a team of UC Riverside researchers in collaboration with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.next10.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next 10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> examines the impacts of data centers on California\u2019s resource usage and public health since 2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They found that electricity usage by these types of facilities in California increased by 95% between 2019 and 2023, and could rise a further 134% between 2023 and 2028\u2014consuming as much electricity per year as 2.4 million U.S. households. Water consumption by data centers in the state also increased by 96% between 2019 and 2023, and could rise a further 134% under the worst-case scenario between 2023 and 2028. According to the report, carbon emissions from data centers increased by 92% between 2019 and 2023, and could rise a further 134% under the worst-case scenario between 2023 and 2028\u2014which could threaten the state\u2019s climate and air quality goals if left unchecked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, health costs associated with data center operations in California\u2014based on a conversion of county-level emission inventories into estimated economic impacts like hospital expenditures, lost work days, and premature mortality\u2014tripled between 2019 and 2023 and could rise another 72% between 2023 and 2028.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/mediajustice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MediaJustice-Data-Center-Report.pdf\"><b><i>The People Say No: Resisting Data Centers in the South (MediaJustice, 2025)<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a more regional approach, this 2025 report from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mediajustice.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MediaJustice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> investigates the impact of data centers in the South. It estimates there are more than $200 billion in data center projects being built across the region, with additional developments being proposed. These projects would largely be fueled by increased gas pipelines, nuclear reactors, coal plants, and methane gas plants sited in the South\u2014not only impacting public health, but also burdening families with additional electricity costs and decreased water availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The report also highlights instances of growing public resistance to this infrastructure in the South, which has already led to the shutdown of these facilities in Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina, while delaying numerous others. The authors end their analysis with four key areas of action: slowing down or blocking new data center projects; calling for transparent public processes for data center approvals; protecting natural resources and challenging corporate greenwashing; and addressing public concerns about increased AI surveillance and data collection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/naacp.org\/resources\/peoples-report-data-centers-prince-georges-county-md\"><b><i>The People\u2019s Report: A Gap Analysis of Data Center Infrastructure in Prince George\u2019s County, Maryland (NAACP and Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health, 2026)<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developed by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/naacp.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAACP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ceejh.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CEEJH<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this report is a response to a county-commissioned report on data center development in Prince George\u2019s County, Maryland. It includes survey results from nearly 100 residents who shared their concerns about transparency, air quality, noise pollution, and energy usage. A plurality of the respondents opposed data centers in their community in the first place, even if some of their environmental and process concerns were addressed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The analysis identifies gaps in current frameworks that fall short of protecting overburdened neighborhoods, including specific recommendations on environmental and civil rights, air quality, and energy and climate justice. Ten policy recommendations are also outlined for local and state agencies, including tightening data center use restrictions in non-industrial zones, increasing setbacks and screening requirements for data centers near residential areas, and establishing a community advisory group. Finally, the authors present a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data Center Frontline Framework<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with guiding principles that incorporate public health, economic impacts, and accountability to inform data center project approval in Prince George\u2019s County.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About the author:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austin Mendoza (he\/him) grew up during times of great climate upheaval in San Diego, California \u2013\u00a0 living through destructive wildfires, rising sea levels, and extreme drought. As a result, Austin is passionate about advancing equity and building solidarity in the environmental space as the state and the world continue to live with the inequitable effects of climate change. As a Data Analyst II at the Equity Research Institute, Austin\u2019s work focuses mostly on environmental justice. He has contributed to reports and publications on making statewide climate investments more equitable, the impacts and opportunities of lithium development in the Imperial Valley, and air pollution in the Bay Area. He also helped to start the Environmental Justice series on ERI\u2019s blog.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austin holds a Master\u2019s degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Psychobiology, both from UCLA. Prior to joining the Equity Research Institute, Austin conducted policy analysis and community outreach on extreme heat with the City of Los Angeles, desk research on international climate justice with federal agencies, and wrote about policy and culture with LGBTQ+ newspapers. Outside of work, Austin enjoys photography, ocean diving, and trying new food.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Explore other articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/2026\/04\/17\/forward-in-a-world-on-fire-lithium-valley-new-crossroads\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Forward in a World on Fire: Lithium Valley at a New Crossroads<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/2026\/02\/19\/celebrating-solidarity-weaving-together-struggles-for-justice\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Watch Recording Now &#8211; Celebrating Solidarity: Weaving Together Struggles for Justice<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eri\/2025\/12\/18\/effects-of-built-environment-on-heating-in-la\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Exploring the Effects of the Built Environment on Heating in LA<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":20899,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[279,26],"tags":[409,410,18,408,411,47],"class_list":["post-20892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ej","category-blog","tag-ai","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-climate-equity","tag-data-centers","tag-environmental-impacts","tag-environmental-justice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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