Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Data center development is expanding across the western U.S., raising concerns about water, energy, land, and air quality, particularly in rural communities experiencing rapid growth. However, data center impacts are highly context-specific, depending on factors such as regional energy availability, cooling technologies, facility design, and state and local regulations. In Utah, policymakers are increasingly addressing data center resource use, but direct water-use reporting captures only part of the picture: the energy used to operate data centers can also have water demands. Greater understanding of this water-energy nexus and of community concerns can help inform decision-making. Using representative survey data collected in August of 2026 (see last section for details), this summary provides an overview of how nearly 900 Utah residents perceive data centers, both generally and in their own communities, and identifies factors associated with support for or opposition to data center development. The findings provide insight into community concerns that can inform policymaking, planning, and public outreach as Utah and other western states manage continued data center growth.
Institution: Utah State University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213991086