Regulatory & Community Pushback Surge

Backlash against AI data centers intensifies with 500+ bans, 75 projects ($130B at risk) facing opposition. Texas enacts new compliance rules requiring companies like Google, OpenAI, Meta to pay for grid upgrades and reuse water. Water emerges as next bottleneck with recycled wastewater cooling gaining traction. Community resistance now a material development risk per Morgan Stanley. New: Rep. Andrea Salinas proposes national data center power tax at $0.01/kWh, including behind-meter generation, directly impacting opex and site selection. Kentucky leaders debate role, with London moratorium reinforcing local resistance. Meta's $50B Louisiana data center adds water concerns. New: Ohio court allows construction company to intervene in legal battle, protecting $38M sunk cost; charter amendment threat (banning >25MW) formalizes opposition.