In Texas, local residents are increasingly resisting the deployment of large-scale infrastructure for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. Activists are trying to halt the construction of new data centers, arguing that it negatively impacts the environment and quality of life.
This is reported by Business • Media
Civic Resistance in Greenville and the Religious Factor
One of the centers of this movement is the city of Greenville, where the Patriot project is being developed — a large data processing infrastructure complex covering over 2100 acres. At a city council meeting in January 2026, local activist Matt Long publicly appealed to Jesus to prevent the project’s implementation, which received support from part of the community.
“I want to pray in the name of Jesus that the annexed land does not become a data processing center,” he stated.
Despite numerous protests and complaints, the city authorities changed the zoning of the area within a few months, paving the way for the construction of the data center.
A Massive Wave of Protests and Reasons for Discontent
Discontent with such projects extends beyond Texas to other regions of the U.S. Citizens complain about increased noise, strain on the energy grid, deteriorating air quality, and risks of rising electricity costs. According to the state’s energy system operator, electricity consumption in Texas could quadruple by 2032 due to industry growth.
A Gallup poll conducted in March shows that about 70% of Americans do not support the placement of such centers near their homes, and nearly half of respondents express strong opposition to such initiatives.
The research company Data Center Watch reported that in the past year, 48 major infrastructure projects worth approximately $156 billion have been suspended or blocked in the U.S.
In Texas, residents sought to impose a moratorium on the construction of data centers and filed several lawsuits. A separate center of discontent is the crypto industry. For example, residents of Hood County filed a lawsuit against MARA Holdings, accusing the mining facility of noise pollution and health hazards.
Despite this, state authorities continue to actively support the industry’s development. Governor Greg Abbott has repeatedly called Texas the “epicenter of AI development,” and companies receive significant tax incentives. Among the largest projects in the region is Stargate, a joint initiative by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to create large-scale infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
It was previously reported that the electricity shortage has made miners key players in the AI sector, according to a Bernstein report.