I think the difference is that many data centers are being built as cheaply as possible, with no regards for noise prevention, their effect on the energy grid, etc. Data centers have been located near people for decades, but most of them are completely inconspicuous because they are designed to mitigate their effect on their surroundings.

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gramie 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Not to mention raising local temperatures by as much as 16°F

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/30/climate/data-centers-are-...

	▲	xp84 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		This smacks of sensationalism - we are talking very local temperatures, not like, the metro area went from 100 highs in summer to 116 because of a DC. And the “16” number was one specific DC in one study, and we don’t know what were the conditions before. We already knew 30 years ago that paved built areas are heat islands so if a green field is a data center with cooling fans it’s not scary or surprising that it emits heat that can be detected. It’s like any factory. But I don’t see how local temperatures on the site of the DC itself is somehow an existential threat to people in the area unless their house is 50’ away from it. At the end of the day NIMBYs always have their opinions about everything from views to noise to traffic, but there’s a limit to how much rights one has to control the property beyond one’s own land.