Data center industry PR efforts are intensifying even as public opposition surges.

The Data Center Coalition, representing giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, has ramped up advertising and commissioned economic impact reports to defend its expansion. Yet, these moves coincide with growing resistance and regulatory pushback in key states such as North Carolina and Texas.

North Carolina Connects, a front group tied to the coalition, has run ads over the past two months promoting data centers; this has occurred alongside local moratoria and the recent repeal of a sales tax exemption on electricity for these facilities. Meanwhile, Microsoft ended nondisclosure agreements with local governments last spring, which may indicate a shift toward transparency. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott ordered an audit of data centers seeking power grid connections and imposed a moratorium on new connections starting August 3, 2026. More than 40 companies, at least 43, back this audit, which ERCOT expects to begin shortly after August 20 and last several months. Despite these measures, skepticism persists about their effectiveness addressing energy, water use, and community concerns.

As these developments unfold, Montana businesses might observe how rising demands for transparency and regulation influence data center operations in other states. The state’s rural landscapes and energy infrastructure could shape local attitudes toward similar projects, potentially affecting economic incentives and community responses.

The data center industry’s PR blitz Is backfiring
By Lisa Sorg, Inside Climate News