Red Banyan Issues Checklist as Data Center Opposition Hits $130B
Fort Lauderdale – October 16, 2026 -- Community opposition blocked or delayed about $130 billion in U.S. data center projects in the first quarter of 2026, roughly matching the total for all of 2025, according to Data Center Watch. Crisis communications firm Red Banyan has released a free two-page Data Center Opposition Readiness Checklist to help developers, utilities and investors gauge their exposure before announcing a project.
Opposition groups more than doubled to over 800 in one quarter
Data Center Watch counts at least 75 U.S. projects blocked or delayed in the first quarter. Active local opposition groups more than doubled in a single quarter, to more than 800 across 49 states.
On July 18, 2026, opponents staged 142 protests in 42 states on the same day, according to Reuters. A Pew Research Center survey found that 60 percent of Americans would be uncomfortable with a new data center in their area.