Residents in New Brunswick, New Jersey, celebrated after the city council voted to remove data centers from a redevelopment plan, effectively scrapping the possibility of a major data center in the area. The decision came during a packed meeting on Wednesday, where community members erupted in cheers after learning the council had rejected the inclusion of data centers as a permitted use on several parcels of land. Ben Dziobek, a local activist, acted as a modern-day Paul Revere, running through the night to share the news. “They canceled it! They canceled it!” he shouted in video footage shared by the Climate Revolution Action Network. The crowd responded with applause and a chant: “The people, united, will never be defeated!” The move followed a recommendation from city planner Daniel Dominguez, who explained that the city administration had asked the council to amend the redevelopment plan by removing data centers and reinstating a requirement to include a public park on the site—a feature previously included in the proposal. While no specific data center had been proposed, the mere possibility of one sparked widespread concern among residents. Data centers, often massive warehouse-style facilities, have become a growing flashpoint in communities across the U.S. As AI companies expand their infrastructure to support large language models and generative AI, demand for these facilities has surged. However, they come with significant environmental costs: high energy consumption, heavy water usage, increased pollution, and potential strain on local power grids and water supplies. A Business Insider investigation from last year found that over 1,200 data centers had been approved for construction across the U.S. by the end of 2024. Some of these facilities are projected to consume as much electricity as entire states and use millions of gallons of water daily—particularly problematic in drought-prone regions. In New Brunswick, residents voiced deep concerns about environmental impact, energy and water use, noise pollution, and the broader implications of allowing large-scale AI infrastructure in residential and public areas. The Climate Revolution Action Network, which helped organize opposition, cited these issues in a press release. During the meeting, Dominguez clarified that including data centers was meant to “diversify the commercial development site,” but emphasized it was “not critical to the project.” Despite that, the council voted to remove the provision. One attendee thanked the council, saying, “We don’t want these kinds of centers in here that are going to take resources from the community.” New Brunswick is not alone in this fight. Across the country, communities are pushing back. In Clarmore, Oklahoma, residents protesting a proposed data center were met with police intervention, including an arrest for speaking beyond a time limit. In San Marcos, Texas, hundreds attended a city council meeting, leading to a nearly nine-hour debate before officials ultimately scrapped the plan.