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New analysis has revealed the U.S. states with rapidly expanding data center development alongside high numbers of endangered species, as widespread environmental concerns amplify nationwide about the artificial intelligence boom.
The report, published by outdoor research site Outforia, comes as opposition to large-scale data center projects is growing across the U.S., driven by concerns about electricity demand, water consumption, land use and environmental impacts.
Last week, New York became the first state to pause permits for new hyperscale data centers, imposing a one-year moratorium while regulators develop new environmental and energy standards.
Development of large data complexes has rapidly increased in recent years and lawmakers and tech titans have treated the infrastructure as critical in assisting America’s fight to lead the global AI race. The Trump administration has previously said that faster build-out is essential for staying ahead of rivals such as China, and deemed New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s data center moratorium a “terrible decision.”
However, while the development continues to expand, there has been mounting scrutiny over the location of data centers, which are being built or proposed in drought-hit areas and on top of major aquifers, and over their wide-ranging environmental impacts.
As a result, New York is not the only state that has sought to bring in guardrails for the industry. Many others have proposed similar bans or restrictions on the construction of new centers, as community concerns continue to rise.
“The AI boom can sound like something happening entirely in the cloud, but the infrastructure behind it is firmly on the ground,” Carl Borg, outdoor expert and founder of Outforia, said in a statement. “When that growth reaches areas already dealing with drought, sensitive habitats or conservation pressure, it raises real questions about how and where these sites should be planned.”
Borg added that “the goal is not to hold technology back. It is to make sure the infrastructure supporting it is planned carefully, openly and with local environmental conditions in mind.”
States With Highest Environmental Pressure Amid Data Center Development
In its analysis, Outforia reviewed the number of data center projects either planned, under construction or land-banked in each state, the number of federally listed threatened and endangered species by state using U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data, forest cover percentages for each state based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, and the USDA Drought Monitor’s Drought Severity and Coverage Index for each state. Compiling the data, the company then ranked states using an environmental pressure index, a score out of 100.
According to Outforia’s analysis, Virginia had the highest environmental pressure index, of 100, defining it as one of the nation’s largest data center hubs and the state where data center growth overlaps most significantly with existing environmental pressures.
The report identified 283 data center projects in Virginia alongside 79 endangered species, substantial forest cover and elevated drought risk.
Georgia was ranked second with a score of 65.46, largely because of its higher number of data center projects (134), number of endangered species (77) and significant forest cover and drought risk.
North Carolina was ranked third, largely because of its high drought risk and forest cover, and Texas was forth, as it has 202 data center projects while being home to 120 endangered species.
Florida was ranked fifth, followed by California, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Utah.
How Data Center Development Harms Endangered Species
Amid the booming development of data centers, conservation groups and environmental researchers have increasingly pointed to the indirect impacts associated with their construction and operation.
Large facilities often require extensive land clearing, transmission infrastructure and access to reliable power and water supplies.
These requirements can contribute to habitat fragmentation, forest loss and increased pressure on ecosystems that support already endangered species.
Water use has also emerged as a particularly contentious issue. Many facilities rely on water-intensive cooling systems, and environmental groups have warned that rapidly expanding data center clusters could increase competition for water resources, particularly in drought-prone regions.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Dave Siminoff.
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