Data centers are one of the top political issues in the country, widely opposed by Democrats and Republicans. Among other concerns, people worry about the environmental impacts, the energy usage, and the sheer size of the massive buildings going up to support the use and development of AI.

In New England, we don't have hyperscale data centers, at least not yet. In this special series from the New England News Collaborative, we explore why not, and look at what people in the region are doing to prepare for data center growth here.

Awaiting Data launches on your New England public media station the week of October 19, 2026.