The U.S. has seen over 300 local bans on data centers, facing strong opposition to AI infrastructure projects like OpenAI's Codex.

According to Sentinel Beating monitoring, since 2023, state and local governments in the United States have passed over 300 restrictions or bans on data center construction, with over 275 enacted within the year 2026. This wave of resistance is most intense in the Midwest and South, where tech giants are building large AI computing facilities.

In Michigan, the project to build the Stargate supercomputer cluster by OpenAI and Oracle faced obstacles. Despite Michigan offering tax incentives until 2050 for data centers investing over $250 million and creating over 30 jobs, the town of Saline Township previously voted against a zoning change for Stargate. After the Stargate team won a lawsuit, groundbreaking took place on June 1, 2026. As a chain reaction, over 20 towns within 50 miles of the Stargate project have enacted data center bans, with over 50 restrictive zones across the state.

A poll has shown that up to 70% of American adults oppose the construction of AI data centers in their local areas, citing concerns such as water consumption, increased electricity costs, and landscape disruption. The resistance movement spans the political spectrum, with left-wing Independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposing a federal ban, while the right-wing conservative group Humans First is organizing protests in multiple states.

Currently, most restrictions last from one month to one year, but over a dozen regions, including New Jersey, have implemented permanent bans. At the state level, a one-year ban bill passed by the New York State Legislature is awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul's signature, while the Governor of Maine vetoed a similar bill. Meanwhile, Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona have suspended tax incentives for data center developers in 2026.