Many people in various states of the United States are increasingly opposed to the construction of data centers. However, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has cited China as an example, warning states that they should not halt the construction of data centers because doing so could put the United States at a disadvantage in the competition with China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
According to a report by the US 'Congressional Post' on August 23, Zeldin said in an interview with New York WABC radio that some states in the United States are discussing the suspension of data center construction across the state. However, he stated that most Americans still hope that the United States will win the competition and become the 'World AI Capital'.
"We cannot hand this position over to China." Zelensky said.
In recent years, as the AI industry has rapidly expanded, the construction of data centers in the United States has increased significantly. This has led to an increasing number of complaints from local residents regarding electricity demand, water resource consumption, and environmental impacts. A Fox News poll released at the end of July showed that 70% of American voters oppose the construction of data centers to support AI in their communities. At the same time, 78% of respondents supported slowing down the construction process in order to address environmental and community concerns.
Data center issues have also become a topic of concern for candidates in this year's U.S. midterm elections. The Trump administration is trying to promote the construction of more data centers, while requiring companies to bear the increased energy costs themselves, so as to avoid passing these costs on to ordinary consumers. Currently, more than 100 companies including Meta, Amazon, and Google have joined the voluntary commitments proposed by the Trump administration.
Zelding admitted that questions surrounding data centers need to be addressed. He stated that new projects should become “net contributors” to the power grid, rather than simply consuming electricity. At the same time, water resources should be reused as much as possible, and ideally, no water at all would be needed.
However, changing topic, he once again brought up China, saying that the United States cannot simply stop building data centers because of these issues, and then allow China to win.
Zelding also called on American citizens to realize that data centers are now an integral part of daily life. He stated that the United States can discuss these issues and should also demand that companies build data centers in a responsible manner, “but it is essential to ensure that the United States wins this competition.”
