TELL CONGRESS: Uproar across the country is growing in opposition to AI data centers. The Washington Post calls it the “data center rebellion.” Bernie Sanders joined communities nationwide to oppose new data centers, take on rising electric costs for working people, and stave off environmental catastrophe. Sign the petition: Ban new construction of AI data centers!

The “data center rebellion is here,” wrote The Washington Post recently.1 Mass opposition to data center construction is a frontline in the fight against billionaires reaping massive profits while causing environmental catastrophe and skyrocketing utility costs for working people.

Communities across the country are leading fierce grassroots campaigns against data centers, including Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Asheville, North Carolina; St. Charles, Missouri; Calexico, California; and Palm Beach, Florida. In areas near data centers, residents saw utility costs rise 267% over the last five years.2 The centers use tremendous amounts of water and electricity, threatening local water supplies and posing dangers to the stability of local power grids.

Senator Bernie Sanders joined local communities and called for a moratorium on AI data center construction.3 Congress must back Sen. Sanders to stop Big Tech’s exploitation of working people and the environment.

Sign the petition: Fight back against Big Tech and urge lawmakers to oppose AI data centers now!

More than 200 environmental organizations have called for a halt on AI data center construction, citing grave threats to “Americans’ economic, environmental, climate and water security.”4 Towns and counties in at least fourteen states have issued their own local bans on data centers.5

OpenAI, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft and Amazon are all in a rush to build new data centers. OpenAI’s current plans would stand up centers that collectively consume more energy than New York City and San Diego.6 American data centers could consume as much water as ten million Americans by 2030.7

Big cities and small communities alike are fighting to stop rising electric costs and protect water resources, their local environment, and the stability of their power grid. Now, Congress must join this effort and protect their constituents.

Sign the petition: Call for an AI data center moratorium now!

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the Demand Progress team

Sources:

  1. The Washington Post, "The data center rebellion is reshaping the political landscape,” January 6, 2026.
  2. Bloomberg, "AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring,” September 29, 2025.
  3. Sen. Sanders on X, "I will be pushing for a moratorium on the construction of data centers that are powering the unregulated sprint to develop & deploy AI...” December 16, 2025.
  4. The Guardian, "More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US datacenters,” December 8, 2025.
  5. Tech Policy Press, "The Real Race for an AI Moratorium: Stopping Data Centers,” December 17, 2025.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Ibid.

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