Hyperscale data centers are costing the states where they are built. How much?
Well, which item on the buffet-of-concerns are we looking at?

How about state revenue loss impact → Georgia estimates it will lose $2.5 billion from state data center tax breaks in 2026 alone. 

“That’s 664% higher than state’s previous estimate of $327 million, a reflection of the speed at which the industry is extracting public money from communities across the country,” says the Good Jobs First report published this week.

At the same time, those tech giants are paying less federal taxes than ever – thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill passed by Republicans in July 2025.

Here’s a snapshot:
Amazon paid about $9 billion in taxes in 2024. In 2025 it will pay about $1.2 billion.

Did your tax bill go down by 87% since last year?          
(More on the tax breaks for billionaires below.)

But for each of the threats hyperscalers pose (to our communities, climate, electricity rates, water quality, water availability and more), we have legislative solutions.

A coalition including MN Interfaith Power & Light has been working for months to develop a regulatory framework that will protect communities and our collective future.
We need your support to pass them.

1. We need a moratorium on data center development right now and until Minnesota passes a regulatory framework to protect communities.
   
   Data center developers have been moving at lightning speed and in the dark (thanks to non-disclosure agreements) in order to
   1. Build before communities could recognize what was happening and respond; and
   2. To take advantage of the lack of a regulatory framework in Minnesota. 

A moratorium on hyperscalers is essential until we have the protections we need in law.
Speaking of protections …

2. If we are going to allow data centers in MN, they should be good neighbors and comply with a sufficient regulatory framework – something we don’t have now, but which we are introducing this session. This document shares the highlights. 

One of the best things you can do – whether for the first time or the fifth – is register your concern with your legislators and the Governor.

• With a phone call.
• With a handwritten note or email.
  Consider attaching, sending or delivering a report, like
  → this new one on tax breaks Georgia estimates $2.5 billion in losses to data center tax breaks in a single year

For more talking points and resources on data center concerns, visit here.