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Comment by pudgywalsh | Hacker News Reader

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Not all sites are equally suited for a data center. This is especially true when you look at plans that allow data centers to operate off of on-site generators prior to full grid connection. There's no reason data centers should be exempt from noise pollution controls near residential areas, and yet there have been cases where this is true.

Local politicians and commissioners also seem to be poorly suited to understanding the impact of data centers on their surrounding environs, being lured (as usual) by overly optimistic estimates of jobs and revenues.

> which has devolved into a non-specific cause-of-the-day for stay-at-home moms to complain about

This is a deeply uncharitable interpretation of people speaking up when there isn't anyone else speaking up for them.

I see. So you are saying that they are poorly suited to understanding the impact of DCs .. because obviously the job estimates .. vested interests (why not) .. basically you are saying “I know that others (politicians and commissioners) are dumb/lack smarts/gullable but I’m not since I’m so wise .. got it.

> “I know that others (politicians and commissioners) are dumb/lack smarts/gullable but I’m not since I’m so wise

Not at all. I'm saying that there are competing interests in placing these projects, and the people speaking up against them are making their interests heard. Municipal commissioners / planners also may not have experience with this kind of project, or underestimate issues that can be caused.

Take for example this: https://denverite.com/2026/07/21/denver-data-center-noise-co...

The DC has 14 diesel generators to supply 18 megawatts of power. That level of noise and combustion exhaust is utterly unsuitable for residential zoning, and yet that's what has happened.

Here's another example, with similar details: https://wjla.com/news/local/data-center-noise-fumes-create-f...

These people (and the others in the class action lawsuits and other news articles that are easy to find with a simple search) are NOT merely a "non-specific cause-of-the-day for stay-at-home moms to complain about". There are genuine complaints due to a failure to properly site the DCs.

I'm from Jefferson county KY, the FAA had to fund a sound proofing program for a huge part of that area because one of the 5 busiest cargo airports in the world is smack in the middle of Louisville metro. Having lived in NoVA as well, the data center noise really doesn't compare (and there's no risk of the data centers dropping a 100 ton firebomb on your home the way UPS did last year).

Drop the disdain, it makes your argument look uninformed.

Try talking IRL with what people dislike about datacenters. You might be surprised.

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