Data center boom sparks rare bipartisan backlash in rural communities

In rural Nebraska, farmers and environmentalists have joined forces to oppose rapid data center development, citing loss of farmland, water depletion, and rising power costs. The projects have also drawn support from labor unions and the Trump administration, who see them as economic engines and a way to outpace China in AI. The debate has become a rare issue that cuts across party lines, prompting moratoriums in some counties.

Cass County's 12-month moratorium halts new approvals while Tenaska continues exploring power generation options for large energy users, potentially including data centers. CyrusOne separately holds nearly 400 acres near Plattsmouth along the same highway corridor, though no construction has started there. The route connects Omaha and Lincoln, with the Missouri River offering a substantial nearby water supply.

The economic pressure on landowners is significant: typical farmland sells for roughly $10,000 per acre, while developers reportedly offer four times that amount. Rising diesel costs and shrinking soybean exports amid tariff disputes with China make such offers increasingly tempting, even for families with deep farming roots like the Stroys, who acknowledge the difficulty of refusing those sums.