Discover Local Data Centers with This Interactive Map
When Isabelle Reksopuro from Oregon learned that Google was acquiring public land for its data centers in her state, she was initially skeptical. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she noted. “Google has denied taking that land.”
She clarified that The Dalles, a city close to the Washington border, was attempting to reclaim that land, stating, “Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had requested ownership of a 150-acre section of Mount Hood National Forest, arguing it needs access to the watershed to support its growing population of 16,010, as recorded in the 2020 census. However, critics, including environmental advocates, argue that the city is primarily trying to secure more water for Google, which already operates a large data center in The Dalles that consumes about a third of the city’s water supply.
This situation piqued Reksopuro’s interest in the backlash against data centers in other areas. As a University of Washington student studying the intersection of technology and public policy, she decided to create a visual representation of this issue. Utilizing data from Epoch AI and legislative information on data centers, she developed an interactive map that tracks AI policy globally. She aimed to make it user-friendly enough for her younger sisters to explore and understand the local data centers and the actions being taken regarding them. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro explained, hoping to influence their views in a more engaging way than through social media.
The map employs Claude to search for new sources four times daily, cross-referencing them with Reksopuro’s existing database. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Opposition to data centers has emerged as a rare point of agreement among Americans across political lines. After the initial construction phase, data centers offer few permanent jobs and contribute to rising power costs in many parts of the U.S., according to reports. While the controversy surrounding data centers is growing, Reksopuro’s map reveals that public sentiment and regulatory policies vary widely. For instance, Maine experienced significant pushback against data centers, leading to the passage of the first state-level moratorium on hyperscale data centers in April, although it was later vetoed by the governor. In contrast, Texas has embraced data centers, even enacting tax exemptions that provide over $1 billion in tax breaks annually, as reported.
Reksopuro doesn’t oppose data centers outright, but she believes that tech companies thrive in an environment lacking transparency regarding data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she remarked. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
