Brief

AI data centers are reshaping U.S. farmland, report finds

Satellite images show AI data centers replacing farmland, while opposition grows across 27 states.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 01:04:05 GMT

Satellite imagery analysed by the Washington Post, cited by CBS News, shows that hundreds of hyperscale data centers powering artificial‑intelligence workloads are being constructed on land that was previously farmland, shrubland or forest across the United States.

Cleanview estimates more than 1,300 data centers are operating in the U.S. today, with an additional 2,231 projects planned or in development. Roughly 100 of the operating facilities qualify as hyperscale, each capable of consuming at least 100 megawatts at peak load.

Because the power demand of these facilities often exceeds local grid capacity, some operators are building private power plants and repurposing jet engines to generate electricity off‑grid, CBS reported quoting Washington Post senior graphics reporter Kevin Schaul.

Community opposition is rising. Data Center Watch, which tracks public resistance, says that in the second quarter of 2026 activists disrupted at least 45 projects in 27 states, representing $68 billion in proposed development.

Key facts

More than 1,300 data centers operate in the U.S. today, according to Cleanview. (cbsnews.com)
An additional 2,231 data center projects are planned or in development. (cbsnews.com)
About 100 operating facilities are classified as hyperscale, each using at least 100 MW at peak. (cbsnews.com)
Roughly 40% of hyperscale data centers were built on previously developed land; the rest took over farmland, shrubland and forest. (cbsnews.com)
In Q2 2026, activists disrupted at least 45 data‑center developments across 27 states, valued at $68 billion. (cbsnews.com)