Growing public backlash against US data center expansion, driven by rising electricity costs (up 68% in NY), water scarcity concerns, and AI job displacement fears, has halted or delayed ~75 projects worth $130B in just three months. Notably, farmers and ranchers—not environmentalists—have emerged as the primary opposition, arguing data centers compete for critical water resources needed for livestock and agriculture, a rare bipartisan consensus in US politics with 60-70% public opposition to new local data center projects.