HOW TO STOP AI DATA CENTERS FROM

 GETTING BUILT IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Y’all this is NOT a comprehensive guide to stopping AI data centers.

 It is simply an email template to help you get started.

If you want to do more to stop these data centers, please do it!

TEMPLATE TO COPY + PASTE INTO AN EMAIL OR USE IT AS A PHONE SCRIPT

Dear [elected official name],

I am reaching out to you today as a resident concerned about data centers in our community. What is [community name] doing to prevent these data centers from coming in? If you are allowing them, what steps are you taking to prevent them from causing harm?

Please contact me at [your email and/or phone number].

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[your name]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. How do I figure out who to contact at my local government?

Here’s a handy website for finding your local elected officials. Sometimes your local government will have a contact form directly on their website too.

  1. What should I do after I receive a response?

What to do next ultimately depends on your local government’s response. If they’ve already done something, then maybe consider helping a nearby community. If they haven’t, start first with advocating for a moratorium on AI data centers since it’s the easiest way for your community to take action.

Make plans to attend a public meeting to voice your concerns and advocate for your local government to take action during the public comment period. These meetings are much less daunting when you attend with a friend or family member, and elected officials are more likely to listen to you if you come in a group.

  1. How do I give a public comment?

First you need to sign up to give a public comment – sometimes this is required beforehand so make sure you check in advance. Prepare a note either on your phone or a piece of paper with everything you want to say. Keep it short and concise. Just make sure to mention that you want your local government to not allow AI data centers.

Continue to attend these meetings and ask your neighbors to do the same until your elected officials do something. I recommend bringing a book or a quiet craft to keep yourself occupied during these meetings since public comments typically happen at the end.

  1. What data can I provide to say that AI data centers are harmful?

Check out these resources for a bunch of talking points and resources on how to take more action:

https://ceds.org/datacenter/

https://www.datacenterwatch.org/report

https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/with-ai-on-the-rise-what-will-be-the-environmental-impacts-of-data-centers-180987379/

https://climatejusticealliance.org/ai/

https://fordschool.umich.edu/news/2025/growth-data-centers-requires-new-policies-mitigate-local-community-impacts

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/08/us-data-centers