Public Interest Tool

Data Center Climate Impact Monitor

Real-time environmental stress data for every major AI data center in North America. The same intelligence used by infrastructure developers — now public for residents, journalists, and environmental advocates.

Environmental Metrics We Track

  • Water Stress: 30-day precipitation deficit (mm). Negative values indicate drought conditions. Source: Open-Meteo precipitation & evapotranspiration.
  • Air Quality (AQI): Real-time AQI from nearby monitoring stations. Higher values indicate worse air quality. Source: AirNow API.
  • Heat Stress: Current air temperature and heat-index days over the last 30 days. Source: NOAA / NWS.
  • Grid Carbon: Pounds of CO₂ per megawatt-hour of state-level grid emissions. Source: EPA eGRID.
  • River Levels: Real-time river stage vs. flood stage at nearby NOAA stream-gauge sites.
  • Electricity Demand Growth: State retail electricity demand growth over a 3-year period. Source: EIA SEDS.

Who Is This For?

  • Residents who want to understand the environmental impact of a proposed or operating data center nearby.
  • Journalists covering AI infrastructure, water rights, or energy grid stress.
  • Environmental advocates building fact-based campaigns around water use or grid carbon.
  • Local officials seeking independent data before zoning or permitting decisions.

About This Tool

AI Data Center Alert is a public-interest transparency tool built with some of the insights data center developers use to evaluate site viability.

We believe that if developers have access to real-time water stress, grid pressure, and air quality data to decide where to build, residents and journalists deserve the same information to understand what's being built in their communities.

Data Sources

  • Open-Meteo: Precipitation and evapotranspiration for 30-day water deficit calculations.
  • AirNow (EPA): Real-time air quality index at monitoring stations nearest to each facility.
  • NOAA / NWS: Current temperature, heat-index days, and river stage data.
  • EPA eGRID: State-level grid carbon intensity (lbs CO₂ / MWh).
  • EIA SEDS: State-level retail electricity demand for growth trend analysis.