For the first time in US history, voters just used a ballot measure to permanently ban a data center — and it may be only the beginning.
🚨 **COMMUNITY** — Voters in Monterey Park, California overwhelmingly passed Measure NDC, the first voter-enacted data center ban in US history. The blocked facility would have tripled the city's entire electricity consumption. Co-founder Steven Kung called it a "victory landslide" against Big Tech moving into neighborhoods without permission.
⚖️ **LEGAL** — Three House committees — Ways and Means, Oversight, and the CCP Select Committee — have launched investigations into whether Chinese money is funding US nonprofits organizing data center opposition. Rep. Jason Smith says he's traced foreign funds to activist groups. The committees have demanded an FBI Director briefing by June 18 and are weighing foreign agent registration requirements.
⚡ **POWER** — The North Carolina House passed SB 730, the Ratepayer Protection Act, 69–44, requiring hyperscale data centers (100+ MW) to pay their own grid upgrade costs. Duke Energy reported $1 billion in extra Q1 2026 revenue from data centers — and is now seeking an 18% rate hike. Attorney General Jeff Jackson says his counter-proposal would save North Carolinians $1.4 billion.
🏗️ **NEW BUILD** — Applied Digital Corporation is building Delta Forge 1 — a $3.6 billion, 300-acre AI factory campus near Boyce, Louisiana. Announced by Governor Jeff Landry, the project will deliver 300 MW of AI compute, 200 permanent jobs, and 1,000 construction jobs at peak.
💰 **INVESTMENT** — Private equity investment has pushed US data center deal volume to a 5-year high, according to S&P Global. Construction starts reached $77.7 billion in 2025 — a 190% year-over-year increase — with capital investments projected to surge 81% to $700 billion in 2026.
