Environmental Coalition Demands National Moratorium on New US Data Centers

Environmental Groups Call for Halt to Data Center Expansion

A coalition of over 230 environmental organizations across the United States has formally demanded a national moratorium on the approval and construction of new data centers. The groups, including prominent names like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food & Water Watch, sent a letter to Congress on Monday, December 8, 2025, highlighting the severe environmental and social impacts of the rapidly expanding data center industry. They argue that unchecked growth, largely driven by artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, poses significant threats to communities and the climate.

Escalating Environmental Concerns

The environmental groups' primary concerns revolve around the substantial energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with data centers. US data centers consumed an estimated 183 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, accounting for over 4% of the nation's total electricity consumption. This figure is projected to surge by 133% to 426 TWh by 2030, potentially reaching 12% of US electricity use by 2028. This immense demand often strains regional electricity grids, leading to higher utility rates for consumers and necessitating costly infrastructure upgrades. Furthermore, to meet this growing demand, some utilities are planning to construct new natural gas plants, which would significantly increase local greenhouse gas emissions and undermine climate goals. Researchers predict that by 2030, AI data centers could annually produce between 24 and 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to adding 5 to 10 million cars to American roadways.

Water Scarcity and Community Impact

Beyond energy and emissions, the coalition emphasized the alarming water usage of data centers, particularly for cooling their extensive server infrastructure. In 2023, US data centers directly consumed approximately 17 billion gallons of water. However, the indirect water consumption, primarily from the electricity generation needed to power these facilities, was substantially higher, estimated at roughly 211 billion gallons in the same year. A single large data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water per day, comparable to the annual water usage of a town with 10,000 to 50,000 people. Projections indicate that by the end of the decade, US data centers could consume as much water as 10 million Americans annually. This heavy water demand is particularly contentious in drier regions and can strain shared resources, impacting local communities. Communities near data centers have also reported concerns over increased electricity bills, with some residents experiencing jumps of up to 267%, and noise pollution from the facilities.

Call for Regulation and Industry Context

The environmental groups' letter urges Congress to halt new data center developments until 'adequate regulations can be enacted to fully protect our communities.' They seek stronger standards to govern electricity use, water consumption, and air pollution, including from backup diesel generators. The demand comes amidst a growing backlash against the rapid expansion of the artificial intelligence industry, which is driving unprecedented investment in data center infrastructure. The coalition's letter describes the unregulated rise of data centers as 'one of the biggest environmental and social threats of our generation,' impacting Americans' economic, environmental, climate, and water security.