AI data center opponents block or delay projects worth $130B in 2026

Grassroots opposition groups have blocked or delayed at least 75 AI data center projects worth $130 billion in the first quarter of 2026, matching the total disruption for all of 2025. The number of opposition organizations has more than doubled to 833 across 49 states, with moratorium proposals surfacing in 14 states and federal lawmakers backing restrictions. The trend threatens the crypto mining industry's pivot to AI hosting, as companies like Hut 8 and Core Scientific have invested heavily in hybrid models.