Data Center Industry Slammed Over Messaging
Public misconceptions about data centers are fueling opposition, Rep. Jay Obernolte said.
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2026 – The data center industry must better communicate with the public as concerns over energy use, water consumption, and local impacts drive growing political resistance, said Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif.
“The tech industry is not terribly educated on public relations,” Obernolte said, speaking Thursday at the Data Center World conference. “You need to be proactively telling people, ‘we’re not raising rates, we want to be good neighbors.’”
Obernolte said public concern, not the underlying facts, is driving the congressional debate.
