AI Data Centers Surge in Rural U.S. Communities

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Small towns across the United States are experiencing a surge in sprawling data centers used to power artificial intelligence. This trend has raised concerns among residents about water depletion, loss of farmland, and increased traffic congestion. Lawmakers in several states, including Maine, are considering regulations to slow or halt new data center projects. Maine has passed a bill imposing a moratorium on new data centers, pending the governor's signature. The issue has become politically significant, with residents in Festus, Missouri, voting out half their city council over approval of a $6 billion data center.