With the rise of AI development, tech companies are investing billions to build massive data centers.

Virginia is home to over 500 data centers and counting. State officials there say their construction will boost local economies and create long-term jobs.

One former data center technician in South Carolina doesn’t agree.

And anxious residents are pushing back against the projects worried they could harm drinking water, spike electricity rates and bring noise pollution.

In Episode 10, you’ll meet Shannon Wait. She was a temporary worker at one of Google’s data centers in Berkeley County, South Carolina.

While there, Wait spoke out against the unfair labor practices, but was suspended. She filed a case with the National Labor Relations Board, and won.

Now she’s a senior organizer at Alphabet Workers Union-CWA and a data policy advisor at TechEquity speaking out against the working conditions inside the facilities.

Northern Virginia has especially been seeing a boom in construction, but as more buildings are planned for Southern Virginia, residents are growing concerned about how this will hurt their water and wallets.

There aren't any statewide data center regulations, so localities are putting their foot down.

You’ll hear from the Virginia Mercury’s Energy and Environment reporter Shannon Heckt who has been covering this.

Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching.

Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.

Click here for the full transcript.

Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:

• Data center growth drives locals to fight for more say (Stateline)
• Virginia doesn’t have statewide data center regulations. Localities are making their own rules. (Virginia Mercury)
• Gigawatt data center proposal draws opposition from SC Lowcountry residents, politicians (South Carolina Daily Gazette)
• NJ lawmakers OK plan to charge data centers for spiking electric costs (New Jersey Monitor)
• Data center ‘gold rush’ pits local officials’ hunt for new revenue against residents’ concerns (Georgia Recorder)

Photo: Shannon Wait speaks at a Colleton County public hearing for a proposed 860-acre data center campus proposed for South Carolina’s Lowcountry. (Photo courtesy of Shannon Wait)