A battle over a proposed data center near Tucson, Arizona, is ongoing, with activists warning that developers are barreling ahead despite clear local opposition.
What's happening?
On Instagram, Perfect Union (@perfectunion) covered the project at the heart of the dispute — Project Blue. It had been tied to Amazon Web Services, although the company said no agreements were put in place, according to The Guardian.
The facility was envisioned as a sprawling tech campus on roughly 290 acres in Pima County. Critics said the proposed facility would consume massive amounts of water and electricity in a region already facing persistent drought and water scarcity.
Residents and local officials celebrated a major victory in the summer of 2025 when the Tucson City Council voted to block the project from annexing city land for water access, responding to intense community pressure.
However, that success may not be enough; the Arizona Corporation Commission and the Pima County Board of Supervisors have kept the data center's future alive, even without city and resident approval.
Why is Project Blue concerning?
In early December, the ACC approved an energy supply deal between Tucson Electric Power and the developers behind Project Blue, Beale Infrastructure, enabling TEP to sell power to the facility starting in 2027.
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The vote came despite hours of public testimony against the project, voicing fears that its massive energy use would strain local grids and potentially increase electricity costs for residents.
Meanwhile, the County Board has moved forward with land deals connected to the project, even as community activists vow to continue their fight. Opponents have argued that the center's enormous scale and resource demands are fundamentally at odds with the desert environment and the urgent need to conserve water.
Critics said this treatment of public sentiment is evidence that powerful corporate interests are willing to override local voices to get what they want.
Communities from Arizona to the Midwest have pushed back against large data centers that promise jobs but risk environmental stress, higher utility rates, and diminished local quality of life.
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Absolutely 💯 The resistance spans political lines, tapping into deeper concerns about how tech infrastructure is sited and regulated — particularly in regions already dealing with climate pressures.
What's being done about Project Blue?
For now, Project Blue's path forward is uncertain. According to Data Center Dynamics, Amazon has backed out since the facility's proposed cooling method was switched, but Beale says it has other interested parties in the lineup.
With land deals approved and energy agreements in place, the fight is shifting toward regulatory reviews and potential legal challenges.
But the opposition is still making itself heard. As one commenter wrote on Instagram: "Keep up the good fight! They are trying to ram in this water-wasting data center in the desert. Their cruelty has no limits."
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