Opposition to data centers is spreading across the US, with 45 projects worth $68 billion blocked or delayed by local resistance between April and June this year, according to Data Center Watch, a project from AI intelligence company 10a Labs. Communities are adopting moratoriums (temporary construction pauses) and pushing for restrictions on siting, electricity and water, while about 30 statehouses introduced or adopted related rules. The group counted 843 opposition organizations across 49 states, with Hawaii the only exception. The second-quarter disruptions represented more than half of all new large-scale developments tracked during the period, although opposition had been greater in the first quarter, when 75 cases worth about $130 billion were recorded. Resistance is also emerging internationally, including in Europe, Australia and South Africa. Lead analyst Miquel Vila said the trend is becoming global as data center construction expands. Technology companies including Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc. say the facilities are needed to compete with China in artificial intelligence. President Donald Trump has dismissed opposition to data centers and concern about AI advances as a "sick conspiracy," saying "the only one that is happy about it is China."