VIDEO — How to Stop Data Centers in Your Backyard and Beyond
Published Sep 30, 2026
Hear from experts and organizers on the ground on our winning efforts to stop Big Tech’s AI data centers from invading our communities.
Fran Caracappa wasn’t expecting to join a campaign against a data center in her small New York town of East Fishkill. “How I came to this fight was by chance,” she said. She was looking at a report from the New York grid operator and found a proposal for a whopping 1GW data center facility in an area of her town near a childcare center and a house of worship.
Fran and her neighbors immediately jumped into action to stop this energy-hungry, water-guzzling facility. After months of organizing with Food & Water Watch and other allies, the people of East Fishkill won an incredible victory: a three-year moratorium, or freeze, on new data centers.
East Fishkill’s story is echoing in communities across the country. People are unearthing data center deals, organizing with their neighbors, and successfully standing up to Big Tech. At our September Livable Future LIVE, we sat down with Fran and Food & Water Watch experts to learn how you can take on a data center in your backyard and beyond.
Watch the Full Event Below!
What you’ll learn from “How to Stop Data Centers in Your Backyard and Beyond” (click to expand)
Hear from Ben Murray, Food & Water Watch Senior Researcher, Eric Weltman, Food & Water Watch New York Senior Strategist and Organizer, and Fran Caracappa of East Fishkill on:
- What data centers are and how they threaten our environment and economy;
- How we won a data center moratorium in New York and what we need next;
- Six principles to guide your fight against a data center;
- What information you need about the planning process and local decision-makers to successfully stop a data center;
- How to communicate about data centers to bring more neighbors into the fight;
- How to find out if there’s a data center planned for your community;
- The myth of data centers as “economic development”;
- What closed-looped cooling is and why it won’t solve data centers’ water problems;
- And more!
Read More and Take Action!
- Sign this petition telling Congress: It’s Time to Ban Artificial Superintelligence!
- Food & Water Watch’s Stop Data Centers Now! Campaign Toolkit includes fact sheets, printable petitions, a model data center ban ordinance, a power-mapping worksheet, and more
- If you’re fighting a data center in your community and have questions or need help beyond what the toolkit offers, please fill out this form to let us know what you’re looking for
- Check out our most recent full-length research report: The Urgent Case Against Data Centers
- Find more articles, actions, resources, and updates on our Food & Water Watch Data Center Campaign Page
- Check out our Livable Future NOW fall newsletter, including articles that outline the steps to defeating a data center, why “closed loop cooling” doesn’t save our water, and more
- Sign up now for our October 21 Water Affordability Livable Future LIVE and our November 5 Post-Election Recap Livable Future LIVE
- Our work is fueled by your generosity! Please consider making a donation today
- Check out our volunteer opportunities and upcoming events
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