{"id":2604744,"date":"2026-05-19T21:29:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T01:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gallup-poll-americans-would-rather-live-near-a-nuclear-power-plant-than-an-ai-data-center\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T21:31:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T01:31:22","slug":"gallup-poll-americans-would-rather-live-near-a-nuclear-power-plant-than-an-ai-data-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gallup-poll-americans-would-rather-live-near-a-nuclear-power-plant-than-an-ai-data-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Gallup Poll: Americans Would Rather Live Near a Nuclear Power Plant Than an AI Data Center"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgallup-poll-americans-would-rather-live-near-a-nuclear-power-plant-than-an-ai-data-center%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2604744&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Gallup Poll found that many americans oppose building AI data centers in their communities. In March polling, 53% opposed locating a nuclear energy plant nearby, while 71% opposed AI data centers. The main driver of opposition is environmental concern-especially fears about effects on resources such as energy and water use-followed by worries about quality of life (like community impact and land requirements) and higher day-to-day costs.People who support data centers most frequently enough cite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-ralph-norman-explains-why-congress-can-come-together-on-daylight-savings-time\/\" title=\"Rep. Ralph Norman Expl...ns Why Congress Can Come Together On Daylight Savings Time\">potential economic benefits<\/a> such as jobs and tax revenue. Gallup also reports broad bipartisan opposition: Democrats, independents, and Republicans all commonly oppose data centers, with Democrats showing higher rates of \u201cstrongly opposed\u201d responses than Republicans.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Would you rather have your home be at risk for a Chernobyl-style catastrophe? Or would you rather have your home near Grok?<\/p>\n<p>That question was effectively at the heart of a new <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/709772\/americans-oppose-data-centers-area.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gallup Poll<\/a> \u2014 and it appears Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of the former.<\/p>\n<p>In a pair of March polls, Gallup found that a sizable 53 percent of Americans oppose bringing a nuclear energy plant into their locality. Conversely, a whopping 71 percent of those polled opposed the construction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republican-says-trump-ushering-in-new-era-for-us-energy-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"House Republican says Trump ushering in \u2018new era\u2019 for US ... ... Washington Examiner\">artificial intelligence data centers<\/a> in their areas.<\/p>\n<p>Of note, this is, quite literally, a first for Gallup. It had never asked about AI data centers before, but given its prominent place in the zeitgeist, it makes sense.<\/p>\n<p>It also suggests that AI is facing a steep PR battle, which becomes much clearer once you dig into the Gallup numbers.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">78% of U.S. adults who worry about the quality of the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >environment oppose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/data-center-bill-dies-in-virginia-house\/\" title=\"Virginia House kills ... center bill\">data center construction<\/a><\/a>, compared with 52% who are not worried. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/h7ZX8Un3gf\">pic.twitter.com\/h7ZX8Un3gf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Gallup (@Gallup) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Gallup\/status\/2056828929176952989?\">May 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The top reason for AI data center opposition has to do with concerns about their effects on the environment. Fifty percent of those polled mentioned \u201ceffect on resources\u201d as their top reason for opposing the data center construction.<\/p>\n<p>Within that 50 percent, energy and water consumption were listed as the top two reasons for why they had resource concerns.<\/p>\n<p>After resource concerns, the poll found that 22 percent mentioned quality-of-life concerns. The top concerns within that grouping had to do with community impact, population booms, and the raw land acreage required for these centers.<\/p>\n<p>Coming in at 20 percent are concerns about AI data centers affecting day-to-day costs. The chief concern within that group involved the potential for higher energy or water bills.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, among those who support the construction of local AI data centers, the number one reason for it involved the potential economic benefits, such as more jobs and tax revenues for communities.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the most interesting thing that Gallup found, however, is that the topic of AI data centers is largely bipartisan. Whether Democrat, independent, or Republican, the most common response was opposition to AI data centers.<\/p>\n<p>Within that, however, Democrats are largely much more negative about AI data centers than their GOP counterparts.<\/p>\n<p>Among Democrats polled, 19 percent \u201csomewhat opposed\u201d AI data center construction, while 56 percent \u201cstrongly opposed\u201d it. Republicans, meanwhile, came in at 24 percent \u201csomewhat opposed\u201d and 39 percent \u201cstrongly opposed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(Independents come in at 26 percent \u201csomewhat opposed\u201d and 48 percent \u201cstrongly opposed.\u201d)<\/p>\n<p>And, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/05\/19\/nancy-mace-data-center-moratorium-00927781\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Politico<\/a> reported, these Gallup findings are largely representative of the bipartisan Congressional response to the rapid onset of AI data center construction.<\/p>\n<p>South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace recently became the latest lawmaker to join a bipartisan push to put a freeze on new AI data center construction in her state.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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