In the heart of rural America, where fields of corn and soybeans stretch to the horizon and small towns hum with the quiet rhythm of community life, a new force is reshaping the landscape: artificial intelligence (AI). The rise of AI data centers, sprawling complexes of servers humming with computational power, is transforming rural regions in ways few could have predicted a decade ago. These facilities, critical to powering the AI revolution, are consuming vast swaths of land and water, often at the expense of local communities and ecosystems. While tech giants tout innovation and economic benefits, the hidden costs of this digital gold rush are becoming impossible to ignore.
The demand for AI has skyrocketed, driven by advancements in machine learning, generative AI, and cloud computing. Companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta are racing to build data centers to handle the computational load. Unlike traditional data centers, AI facilities require exponentially more power and cooling due to the intensive processing demands of training large language models and running complex algorithms. This has led to a land and resource rush, with rural America becoming the epicenter.Why rural areas? The answer lies in economics and logistics. Rural land is cheaper, zoning regulations are often less stringent, and there’s ample space for the massive campuses—some spanning hundreds of acres—that these data centers require. But this influx comes with a steep price for local communities, as land and water, the lifeblood of rural economies, are diverted to fuel the digital age.
Across the country, rural landscapes are being reshaped to accommodate these tech behemoths. Take, for example, Mesa, Arizona. Once a patchwork of desert farms and ranches, the area has become a hotspot for data center development. In 2023, Meta announced plans for a $1 billion, 2.5-million-square-foot AI data center in Mesa, occupying land that could have supported local agriculture or housing. The project, while promising jobs, required rezoning agricultural land, a pattern repeated nationwide. In Ohio, Amazon’s data center projects in New Albany and other rural areas have gobbled up thousands of acres, displacing farmland and raising concerns about food security. Since 2017, Ohio has lost over 100,000 acres of farmland to development, with data centers playing a growing role.In Iowa, a state synonymous with agriculture, Google’s Council Bluffs data center campus spans over 1,000 acres. The company has expanded multiple times since its initial build in 2007, acquiring farmland that once grew corn and supported local farmers. These projects often come with tax incentives, which local governments justify as economic boosts, but the trade-off is clear: fertile land, once a generational asset, is paved over for server farms that employ relatively few people compared to their footprint.The numbers are staggering. A 2024 report from the American Farmland Trust estimated that the U.S. lost 1.9 million acres of farmland between 2012 and 2022, with industrial development, including data centers, as a key driver. AI data centers, with their need for large, flat parcels near power infrastructure, are accelerating this trend. In Virginia, dubbed the “data center capital of the world,” over 10,000 acres of rural land have been converted to data center use since 2015, often displacing family farms and green spaces.
If land is the visible casualty, water is the silent one. AI data centers are voracious consumers of water, primarily for cooling the servers that run 24/7. The cooling process, often involving evaporative systems, can use millions of gallons annually per facility. In rural areas, where water resources are already stretched, this demand is sparking conflicts.In The Dalles, Oregon, Google’s data center has been a flashpoint. The facility, operational since 2006, consumes an estimated 355 million gallons of water annually—roughly a third of the town’s total water supply. Local residents, including farmers who rely on the Columbia River for irrigation, have raised alarms about strained water resources. In 2021, a lawsuit revealed that Google had secured water rights without fully disclosing its usage, prompting outrage from locals who felt their needs were sidelined.Similarly, in South Carolina’s Berkeley County, Google’s data center has drawn criticism for its water consumption. The facility pulls water from the same aquifer that supplies local farmers and residents, contributing to a 15% drop in groundwater levels over the past decade, according to state reports. Farmers, already grappling with drought, face tighter restrictions while the data center operates unimpeded.The scale of water use is jaw-dropping. A 2023 study by the University of California, Riverside, estimated that a single large AI data center can consume 1-2 billion gallons of water per year when factoring in both direct cooling and the water-intensive energy production (like coal or gas plants) that powers these facilities. In arid regions like Nevada, where Microsoft and Google have built massive campuses, this consumption exacerbates existing water scarcity, pitting tech giants against rural communities.
The encroachment of AI data centers isn’t just about land and water—it’s about the ripple effects on rural life. In places like Grant County, Washington, where Microsoft operates multiple data centers, property values have skyrocketed, making it harder for locals to afford homes or expand farms. The promise of jobs often falls short; data centers require highly skilled technicians, not local labor, and the construction boom benefits transient workers more than permanent residents.Environmentally, the impact is profound. Converting farmland to concrete campuses disrupts ecosystems, reduces biodiversity, and increases runoff, which can lead to flooding in rural areas. In Georgia, where Meta’s Newton County data center project has cleared over 1,000 acres of forest and farmland since 2020, local environmentalists report declining wildlife populations and soil erosion. The carbon footprint of these centers, which rely heavily on fossil fuel-based grids in many regions, further undermines claims of “green” tech.
The AI data center boom raises a fundamental question: who benefits? Tech companies gain infrastructure to power their AI ambitions, and governments collect tax revenue. But rural communities often bear the costs—lost land, strained water supplies, and disrupted ways of life. The irony is stark: AI, heralded as a tool to solve global challenges, is creating new ones in the heartland.Solutions exist, but they require bold action. Tech companies could invest in water-efficient cooling technologies, like air-cooled systems, or prioritize renewable energy to reduce their environmental footprint. Governments could impose stricter regulations on land use and water rights, ensuring rural communities aren’t sacrificed for corporate gain. Incentives for preserving farmland, such as conservation easements, could balance development with sustainability.
The AI revolution is here to stay, and data centers are its backbone. But the cost of progress shouldn’t fall disproportionately on rural America. From Mesa to The Dalles, from Ohio to Georgia, the stories are the same: land and water, once the foundation of rural life, are being siphoned away. If we’re to build a future where AI serves humanity, it must start with fairness—not just for the tech giants, but for the communities that bear the weight of their ambitions. The fields and rivers of rural America deserve better than to be collateral damage in the race for digital supremacy.
AI data centers require large, flat parcels near power infrastructure, making rural areas prime targets due to cheaper land and looser regulations. This has led to a significant loss of farmland and green spaces.
Mesa, Arizona: Meta’s $1 billion AI data center, spanning 2.5 million square feet, was built on rezoned agricultural land in 2023, displacing potential farms or housing.
New Albany, Ohio: Amazon’s data center projects have consumed thousands of acres of farmland since 2017, contributing to Ohio’s loss of over 100,000 acres of agricultural land in a decade.
Council Bluffs, Iowa: Google’s 1,000-acre data center campus, expanded multiple times since 2007, has replaced cornfields, sidelining local farmers.
Loudoun County, Virginia: Known as the “data center capital of the world,” this region has lost over 10,000 acres of rural land to data centers since 2015, disrupting family farms.
New Albany, Ohio: Amazon’s data center projects have consumed thousands of acres of farmland since 2017, contributing to Ohio’s loss of over 100,000 acres of agricultural land in a decade.
Council Bluffs, Iowa: Google’s 1,000-acre data center campus, expanded multiple times since 2007, has replaced cornfields, sidelining local farmers.
Loudoun County, Virginia: Known as the “data center capital of the world,” this region has lost over 10,000 acres of rural land to data centers since 2015, disrupting family farms.
A 2024 American Farmland Trust report notes that the U.S. lost 1.9 million acres of farmland from 2012 to 2022, with AI data centers as a growing driver. These facilities, often covering hundreds of acres, pave over fertile soil, threatening food security and rural economies.
AI data centers are water-hungry, using millions of gallons annually for cooling servers. In water-scarce rural areas, this demand strains local supplies, pitting tech companies against farmers and residents.
The Dalles, Oregon: Google’s data center consumes 355 million gallons of water yearly—about a third of the town’s supply—drawing from the Columbia River and sparking conflicts with farmers.
Berkeley County, South Carolina: Google’s facility taps the local aquifer, contributing to a 15% drop in groundwater levels over a decade, impacting farmers facing drought restrictions.
Reno, Nevada: Microsoft and Google data centers exacerbate water scarcity in this arid region, pulling from already stressed groundwater reserves.
Berkeley County, South Carolina: Google’s facility taps the local aquifer, contributing to a 15% drop in groundwater levels over a decade, impacting farmers facing drought restrictions.
Reno, Nevada: Microsoft and Google data centers exacerbate water scarcity in this arid region, pulling from already stressed groundwater reserves.
A 2023 University of California study estimates that a single large AI data center can use 1-2 billion gallons of water annually, including cooling and energy production. This massive consumption threatens rural water security, especially in drought-prone areas.
The human and environmental costs are significant. In Grant County, Washington, Microsoft’s data centers have driven up property values, pricing out locals and farmers. Jobs promised by these projects often require specialized skills, leaving rural workers with limited opportunities. Environmentally, data centers disrupt ecosystems and increase carbon footprints when powered by fossil fuels. In Newton County, Georgia, Meta’s 1,000-acre data center project since 2020 has cleared forests, reducing biodiversity and causing soil erosion.
The AI boom is unstoppable, but its costs don’t have to fall on rural America. Tech companies could adopt water-efficient cooling systems or renewable energy to lessen their impact. Governments should enforce stricter land and water regulations and offer incentives to preserve farmland. Without action, the AI revolution risks draining the resources that sustain rural communities.The fields and rivers of America’s heartland are not infinite. As data centers multiply, we must balance technological progress with the needs of those who feed and sustain the nation. Rural America deserves a future, not a sacrifice.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
