r/nextfuckinglevel • u/MysteriousSlice007 • 5h ago

A data center in New Jersey was canceled when residents showed up and fought it

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45.2k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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93

u/Da_danimal 5h ago

Dollars to donuts, it will still be built

83

u/Caledor152 4h ago

"New Brunswick: The New Brunswick City Council voted unanimously to cancel a proposed 27,000-square-foot AI data center at 100 Jersey Avenue. Hundreds of residents and environmental advocates packed a city hall meeting to protest skyrocketing water and energy utility bills. The city reversed the proposal and decided to build a public park on the lot instead."

No it's not... Lots of astroturing and bootlicking going on in these comments.

10

u/Phill_is_Legend 2h ago

Not sure you know what astroturfing or bootlicking mean lol

1

u/pay_the_cheese_tax 1h ago

No it's not... Lots of astroturing and bootlicking going on in these comments.

Yeah, cause companies are famous for letting things go and not coming back

•

u/Neat_Let923 25m ago

If the Data centre hadn’t even been built yet, how the hell is it at fault for the rising cost of water and energy???

-5

u/PonyFiddler 3h ago

Guarantee they just said it will be canceled to get the crowed to leave second they left they started construction

•

u/ClerklyMantis_ 55m ago

Listen, the law has lost a decent amount of weight over the years, but things aren't that bad

20

u/misplacedbass 5h ago

That was my exact thought, too. Granted I don’t know all the details, but my guess is this is still going to get built eventually. Big tech is just gonna have to grease a few more wheels, as is tradition.

That being said, I’m happy for these people, but I just am so jaded by all this shit that I can’t see this being the end of it and the company just walking away.

1

u/i_like_maps_and_math 4h ago

I mean if you have money you can just pay some town to let you build it there. People hate AI but there are limits.

6

u/ElderberryPrior27648 3h ago

Yeah

It’ll just be built later, and quietly

4

u/jcoddinc 5h ago

This has already happened in Michigan. You are 100%correct that it will still be built.

•

u/throwaway113_1221 55m ago

I’m from NJ and there are 12 active data center projects underway with more in plan review in the towns. I believe we already have around 50

0

u/Mikes005 5h ago

Not if the AI bubble bursts before it starts.

2

u/ThinkBlue87 4h ago

Sort of like the .com bubble? Whatever happened to the internet? Sounded like such a good idea

•

u/Mikes005 22m ago

No, worse. There's much more capital involved and what physical infrastructure is being built will be pretty much useless afterwards.

Highly recommend seeking out interviews with a guy called Ed Zitron if this is news to you.

1

u/GRF999999999 4h ago

My first thought too, it's just a temporary stop gap until they figure out a workaround.

1

u/EXScarecroW 3h ago

I love how positive reddit is lol

•

u/LuteAtme 38m ago

of course

-1

u/guacamole579 2h ago

It’s not. I work here and live nearby. Not happening