Marketplace Tech · Wednesday, September 30, 2026
A report from NYU's Center on Technology Policy suggests data centers could be positive additions to communities by offering tangible benefits. These could include pushing for renewable energy development, providing direct payments for environmental mitigation or workforce development, and supporting local initiatives like teacher payments.
“So the report tries to think through what could data centers do in local communities to offer some real tangible benefit. Not just minimize the harms, but what how could they be sort of positive additions to communities?”
“Well, I mean, I think, you know, there there's an opportunity for data centers to use their new demand into a grid to push forward, the the development of renewable or less polluting energy sources. You know, paying the taxes. But also things like direct payments into communities, whether in the form of environmental mitigation funds or workforce development funds, maybe they're administered by a third-party nonprofit in a community.”