A conservative parents’ organization is urging families to reconsider the narrative around data centers coming to their communities. The American Parents Coalition has put together a guide outlining what parents should ask developers before construction begins, as reported by the Daily Caller News Foundation. This initiative arises amid growing concerns about the impact of data centers, especially in light of increasing demands from artificial intelligence, which have sparked resistance over issues like water usage, noise, and rising electricity costs.
“Parents have plenty to juggle already and shouldn’t have to become experts on infrastructure to grasp how a proposed data center will affect their family and their neighborhood,” Alleigh Marré, the coalition’s executive director, stated. “Companies can build goodwill and contribute positively to the community by clearly defining terms that benefit both their interests and the safety of our collective future.”
The guide presents four key questions for parents to consider when assessing whether a data center project is beneficial or detrimental: what specific advantages it offers to the town, its water sources, power requirements, and its approach to engaging with nearby residents.
For example, Loudoun County, Virginia, sees nearly half of its property tax revenue coming from data centers, partially due to its estimated 250 facilities—the highest concentration in the nation, as noted in the guide.
In another case, a Microsoft data center in Boydton, Virginia, boasts that it cools itself with outside air for around 85% of the year, meaning it doesn’t require water for that purpose. This information is derived from a 2026 report by the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
The guide further explains that newer data centers tend to recycle their cooling water and are increasingly self-sufficient in power generation. It highlights the situation in DeKalb, Illinois, where a data center provided $48.5 million in property tax revenue over three years, benefiting city services and public schools.
While the guide acknowledges that some apprehensions regarding data centers are valid, it refers to older Virginia facilities that consumed over two billion gallons of local drinking water for cooling. It also mentions a lawsuit in Wisconsin where residents claimed a developer was responsible for “unreasonable and excessive noise” at a new data center.
Lastly, the guide encourages parents to engage with their communities on data center topics, both in person and through online platforms.
