Chapter 9 of 10
Fight Together
Individual action matters. Collective action matters more.
Summary
Everything in this book works better when you do it together. This chapter is about building a community campaign that can sustain pressure over months or years.
The chapter opens with Prince George's County, Maryland, where residents gathered 22,500 signatures on a petition opposing a data center project. That kind of visible public opposition changes the political calculation for every elected official who has to vote.
Start with five people. You do not need a hundred to begin. Find five neighbors who care, and you have the core of a campaign.
Education comes first. Hold a community meeting at a library, church, or fire hall. Prepare a one-page fact sheet that covers what the project is, what it means for the community, and what people can do. Keep it simple and factual.
Build a coalition by reaching out to groups that already have members and credibility: environmental organizations, farm bureaus, ratepayer advocates, faith communities, local business associations, and historic preservation groups. Each group brings a different audience and a different reason to care.
Keep it bipartisan. Data center opposition crosses party lines — roughly 55 percent Republican and 45 percent Democrat among officials who have opposed projects. Frame the issue around property rights, fair taxation, local control, and clean water. These are values that resonate across the political spectrum.
Use the press strategically. Write press releases, use social media, submit letters to the editor, circulate petitions, and pitch your story to national media. The chapter provides practical guidance on each.
Elections are the ultimate lever. Local races have low turnout, meaning your group's votes can decide outcomes. State races and utility commission elections also matter. The chapter explains how to evaluate candidates and mobilize voters.
Keep going. Pace yourself for a fight that may last years. When you lose a battle, regroup and open a different front. Celebrate every win, no matter how small. Connect with national allies who are fighting the same fight in other states.
If the project gets approved despite your efforts, shift to monitoring. Set up a permanent network of noise sensors, air quality monitors, and water testing stations. Hold the developer to every condition and every promise.
Key Question
"How do you build a community campaign that can sustain pressure over months or years?"
Action Plan
Your checklist for this chapter
- 1
Start with five people
Find five neighbors who care about the issue. Meet regularly. Divide tasks. You do not need a hundred people to start — you need five committed ones.
- 2
Educate your community
Hold a public meeting at a library, church, or fire hall. Prepare a one-page fact sheet covering the project, its impacts, and what people can do. Keep the language simple and factual.
- 3
Build a broad coalition
Reach out to environmental groups, farm bureaus, ratepayer advocates, faith communities, business associations, and historic preservation organizations. Each brings different members and different credibility.
- 4
Use media and public pressure
Write press releases, post on social media, submit letters to the editor, circulate petitions, and pitch your story to regional and national media outlets. Visible public opposition changes the political calculation.
- 5
Engage in elections at every level
Mobilize voters for local, state, and utility commission races. Evaluate candidates on data center issues. Low-turnout local elections give organized groups enormous influence.
Checklists & Step-by-Step Guides
First Meeting Task Assignments
- One person requests public records.
- One person reads the zoning code.
- One person finds the next hearing date.
- One person starts a contact list.
Community Meeting Structure
- Pick a venue that holds at least 50 people — a library, church hall, fire station.
- Spend 20 minutes explaining the project: what it is, who is behind it, what it will do.
- Spend 10 minutes on what the community can do: attend the hearing, file comments, request records.
- Spend 30 minutes on questions.
- Do not invite the developer — this is your meeting.
- End with a sign-up sheet. Ask each person to commit to one task.
Who to Bring Into the Coalition
- Environmental groups: Sierra Club, Audubon Society, local watershed groups.
- Farm organizations: local Farm Bureau, land conservation groups.
- Ratepayer advocates: AARP chapters, consumer groups, state utility consumer advocate.
- Faith communities: churches, synagogues, mosques.
- Business owners affected by water, noise, and property values.
- Organizations that litigate for free: Earthjustice, SELC, NAACP, Institute for Justice.
Post-Approval Monitoring Network
- Two people alternate noise monitoring weeks.
- One person documents light from the property line.
- One watches drainage ditches after storms.
- Well water users test quarterly on the same schedule.
- Collect all entries in a shared folder or spreadsheet.
- File code enforcement complaints in writing — not by phone.
- If no response within 30 days, escalate to state environmental agency.
Reference Tables
Messages That Cross Party Lines
| Message |
|---|
| Your electric bill went up so a data center could get a discount. That is not fair. |
| They signed an NDA so you could not find out what they promised. |
| One billion gallons of water for a building with 50 employees. |
| The tax break costs more than the school budget. |
Election Levels That Matter
| Level | Relevance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Planning board members and county supervisors decide whether data centers get built. 200 residents can swing the outcome. | Warrenton, VA: residents replaced the council and won a 6-0 data center ban. |
| State | State legislators control tax breaks, water disclosure, and ratepayer protections. | Virginia: Democrat John McAuliff won a deep-red seat running on data center opposition. |
| Utility commissions | Ten states elect their utility commissioners. | A clear message can win these quiet races: who should pay for grid upgrades? |
Warning Signs
- The developer is counting on you to get tired — the first hearing draws 200 people, the sixth draws 20.
- A meeting that ends with 'we should do something' produces nothing — assign specific tasks.
- If different coalition members give contradictory quotes, the story becomes about the disagreement.
- Questions about money undermine coalitions faster than anything else — keep accounting transparent.
- Burnout kills campaigns faster than the developer does — rotate tasks, set boundaries.
- National political debates attached to the fight will fracture the coalition.
Questions to Ask
- 1. What have you heard, what worries you, would you come to a meeting?
- 2. Where do you stand on data center tax breaks, water use, and ratepayer protection?
- 3. Is this a left-wing or right-wing cause? Answer: It is a community issue.
Key Facts
Prince George's County, Maryland residents gathered 22,500 signatures opposing a data center project.
Data center opposition is bipartisan: approximately 55 percent Republican and 45 percent Democrat among officials who have opposed projects.
At least 188 activist groups focused on data center issues have been documented nationwide.
Local elections often have turnout low enough that a small organized group can decide the outcome.
Case Studies
Prince George's County, Maryland — 22,500 Signatures
Residents of Prince George's County collected 22,500 signatures on a petition opposing a data center project. The petition demonstrated overwhelming public opposition and changed the political dynamics, forcing elected officials to take community concerns seriously.
Resources
Offers trainings and organizing support for communities fighting data centers.
Publishes reports tracking opposition campaigns in 28+ states.
Environmental advocacy with local chapters in every state.
Petition platform. In 2025, at least 113 data center petitions gathered about 50,000 total signatures.
Key Quotes
"Individual action matters. Collective action matters more."
"You do not need a hundred people to start. You need five committed ones."
"This fight is not left or right. It is about property rights, fair taxation, local control, and clean water. Those are values that cross every political line."
Glossary Terms in This Chapter
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This page covers the highlights. The book gives you the full story, the complete checklists, sample documents, and the resource directory.