Data Center Development Sparks Debate in St. Louis

As technology companies invest heavily in new data centers globally, U.S. communities, including St. Louis, find themselves in contentious discussions. The focus is on the transformation of a large warehouse space in St. Louis into a data center, planned by TerraWatt’s CEO, David Daneshforooz. He emphasizes the potential for revitalizing underused infrastructures in the city.

St. Louis has a lot of old, kind of decaying infrastructure that’s being underutilized, and so data centers have the opportunity, if done responsibly, to bring back industry into those communities. —David Daneshforooz

Despite these claims, community opposition is strong. A recent Gallup poll highlights this sentiment, showing that over 70% of Americans oppose local data centers. One opponent, Kasey Fowler-Finn, a biologist at Saint Louis University, has joined a lawsuit to stop the project, citing concerns over noise, electricity, and water use.

Fowler-Finn calls for greater transparency and suggests that the community lacks sufficient environmental impact assessments and low-frequency sound studies to make informed decisions. She believes the fears surrounding AI, which data centers support, are not unfounded, but rather based on scientific evidence.

It is not a baseless panic. It is a worry that’s based in real scientific evidence. We have to be very careful about where and how we install these large data centers. —Kasey Fowler-Finn

Daneshforooz argues that refusing data centers in the U.S. could risk American data security. He questions the alternative of storing data in less regulated countries.

Where is that information and data going to be stored? Would you rather have it be in a place like this, in the middle of America, or have that information stored in a country that we can’t regulate or control? —David Daneshforooz

To mitigate concerns, developers plan to cover electricity costs, use sustainable water systems, and invest heavily in local education. While this strategy has succeeded in other cities, it has yet to win over St. Louis residents.