Data Centers in America

What's wrong with Data Centers? 

 I'm happy to let AI give it to us straight:

"People oppose data centers primarily due to their massive consumption of electricity and water, which increases local utility costs and strains infrastructure.  In areas like Virginia, proposed AI data centers have sparked resistance because they could require power equivalent to entire states, leading to higher electricity bills and potential blackouts. Residents report reduced water pressure, unsafe water quality, and constant noise from cooling systems and backup generators, especially when resources are prioritized for data centers over homes. 

Additionally, data centers are seen as extractive developments that offer minimal long-term local benefits.  They create few permanent jobs—often only a handful of on-site staff—while receiving significant tax incentives. The lack of tangible community returns, combined with the visual and environmental impact of large, industrial buildings, fuels a strong "Not In My Backyard" sentiment.  Despite their critical role in supporting digital services and AI, many communities feel they bear the costs while tech giants and distant users reap the benefits."

What impact do data centers have on cows and wildlife?

Here's what AI has to say:

 "Data centers and cows have been linked in anecdotal reports, particularly in rural or suburban areas where large facilities are built near agricultural land. Residents and farmers have reported that the low-frequency hum or drone from data center cooling systems—especially from large fans, chillers, and backup generators—can disrupt livestock, including cows. 

• Low-frequency noise and animal behavior: Cows, like many animals, are sensitive to vibrations and low-frequency sounds. The persistent hum from data center equipment, often in the 50–100 Hz range, can travel long distances and may cause stress, reduced milk production, or altered grazing patterns in cattle.
• Case example: In Loudoun County, Virginia—home to over 199 data centers—some residents have reported that wildlife, including birds and possibly livestock, have disappeared or avoided areas near data centers, potentially due to noise pollution. 
• Scientific insight: While direct studies on cows and data center noise are limited, research into low-frequency noise (LFN) and tonal noise (such as the "whoosh" of fans or engine vibrations) shows these can be highly disruptive to animals. The aerodynamic interactions of fan impellers and rotational machinery in cooling systems are primary sources of such noise. 
• Mitigation: Noise control strategies like acoustic barriers, sound-absorbing materials, and optimized fan design can reduce noise levels.  However, low-frequency hums are especially difficult to attenuate with standard soundproofing and often require specialized engineering solutions. 

In short, while data centers are not inherently designed to harm animals, their noise—particularly low-frequency drones—can affect nearby livestock, including cows, prompting concern among farmers and residents."

We have enough data centers in ND already.  

It's my opinion that we certainly don't need to give them any incentives to come here. 

What are the dangers of Carbon Pipelines? 

Carbon dioxide is colorless, odorless, and heavier than air.  The plume of gas hugs the ground, quickly dispersing towards low spots and valleys.  Within one minute of exposure, people are suffocated and lose consciousness.  When a pipeline ruptures, you can't escape by car, because your car needs oxygen for combustion.  Emergency vehicles need combustion too, so they can't reach you.  

So far, there have been leaks in Mississippi (2020) and Louisiana (2024).

 Why are Carbon Pipelines needed?

Carbon pipelines are primarily needed for advancing climate change goals.  

When a power plant captures it's carbon, it's "reducing emissions".

Estimates suggest we will "need" 30,000 to 96,000 miles of new pipelines by 2050 to meet net-zero targets.

Click the YouTube link below to hear testimony from the people who nearly died in a pipeline rupture in Mississippi.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGIXeWktiWU

Here is another video, published by RFK Jr.: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llcvrKDJRo0

There isn't any amount of money that would make me want to raise a family near a carbon pipeline.