Hi Reader, This month, we’re celebrating the hard work of leaders in Louisiana: after more than four years of community opposition, a proposed blue hydrogen and ammonia complex with carbon capture in the River Parishes has been cancelled. Carbon capture is a process that uses large, complex industrial equipment to capture some of the carbon dioxide from an industrial source, then move it by pipeline for storage underground. It’s often marketed as a climate fix, but can actually cause a host...
11 days ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, I’ve been thinking a lot about farming these past couple weeks. The more we look at where data center projects are going, the harder it is to separate the build-out from a much longer history of extraction from rural places. That history begins with plantations. Plantation agriculture turned huge swaths of land toward the production of commodities and wealth for distant markets, relying on enslaved labor and extracting tremendous value from the land. After slavery was abolished,...
14 days ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, A new EPA-proposed a rule change would allow state environmental agencies to eliminate public participation on most air permits for data centers. The majority of data center air permits cover diesel backup generators and on-site turbines. They are classified as “minor” sources of pollution because they don’t emit 250 tons per year or more of any single regulated pollutant. Right now, federal rules guarantee notice that a permit is coming, and a 30-day window to comment. EPA is...
29 days ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, It can feel like the biggest moment in a data center fight happens in court. But by the time a project gets there, a lot has already been decided in local hearings, planning meetings, and city council rooms. Those early meetings matter more than they might seem. They are where communities can document the facts, name the risks, and preserve arguments that may matter later. That’s because often, a judge is looking back at the official record: what evidence was submitted, and whether...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, It's been 12 years since my home state of New York banned fracking. That ban has held strong, but this month, a legal challenge stands to compromise it. The ripple effects could reach far beyond New York's borders. Meanwhile, Ohio's fracking footprint keeps expanding onto public lands, and communities from the Delaware River Basin to Washington County are proving that persistence pays off. There's a lot happening right now, so let's get caught up. In this newsletter ↓ What We're...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hello Reader, Pennsylvania is being lined up for a wave of new data centers. Behind that build-out is a quieter story: more fracking and new gas power plants to run it all. The communities closest to this development are the ones who will carry the harms. On Wednesday, July 29, we're hosting a webinar about what's coming and how you can push for stronger protections. Register and see the details in your time zone Fracking Fuels Data Centers: Protective Buffers Make Communities Safer...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Last week, a group of community members from Spartanburg Co., South Carolina did something that made me chuckle. At a recent town hall meeting, they recreated the constant noise that people living near a hyperscale data center experience every single day. Sounds annoying, right? I hope their board members took note. As it happens, we just hosted a workshop on data center noise pollution, where I learned that a decibel reading is only part of the story. Continuous, low-frequency...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader, Now's the time to review and RSVP for events you're interested in attending live. Network events are a chance to meet others, bring questions, share what you're working on, and even network. If you're new to HHN, join tomorrow's Networking Meetup. See all events in our calendar here. ↓ Fracking Waste and Rare Cancer: A Conversation with Justin Nobel (Network Café) Tuesday, July 21 (view details in your time zone) Investigative journalist Justin Nobel joins us for a casual...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Last week, a group of community members from Spartanburg Co., South Carolina did something that made me chuckle. At a recent town hall meeting, they recreated the constant noise that people living near a hyperscale data center experience every single day. Sounds annoying, right? I hope their board members took note. As it happens, we just hosted a workshop on data center noise pollution, where I learned that a decibel reading alone is only part of the story. Continuous,...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
