The residents of the small town of Festus, Missouri — the site of a new $6 billion data center project — are taking their outrage over the predatory AI data center boom to the polls.
The town, population just 12,000, ousted four incumbent city council members in a local election last week. Each of the representatives had voted yes to the controversial project, which will raze 360 acres of land for a data center operated by an unnamed company.
The deal was approved by city council members on March 30 — just one week before the election — but city residents organized quickly, including running a successful grassroots campaign to replace one of the incumbents with a local advocate who had never before run for public office. Festus residents have also filed a recall petition targeting the city’s mayor and remaining council members, as well as a lawsuit against both the city and the project’s developer for alleged secret dealings.
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Communities around the nation are pushing back against massive data center investment projects, including state and federal data center subsidies, as their environmental and economic toll becomes clearer. Advocates successfully stalled dozens of projects in 2025. Addressing community concern, a coalition of tech giants signed onto a voluntary, non binding White House pledge, called the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, committing to provide or pay for all energy costs associated with future AI projects.
Last week, the residents of Port Washington, Wisconsin approved a first-of-its kind referendum requiring large scale data center projects go to a local vote for approval. The referendum applies to projects with a minimum $10 million cost and which receive tax benefits.
