Northpoint Development, a major developer aiming to build a data center near a city in Pennsylvania, reportedly offered each household in Hazle Township a $10,000 check, totaling $45 million. However, most residents refused these payments, fearing they were an attempt to bribe them into accepting the construction of the facility. Their concerns primarily focus on noise and light pollution, a decline in property values, and the fear that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) might lead to job losses. According to a Gallup poll conducted in May 2026, Americans would prefer to host a nuclear power plant in their locality rather than a data center. This resistance is part of a broader national movement. A study by Data Center Watch indicated that opponents of data centers have blocked or delayed 75 projects worth nearly $130 billion during the first quarter of 2026. The number of active opposition groups has more than doubled in a year, reaching 833 groups spread across 49 states, illustrating the growing obstacles to the development of AI infrastructure across the entire American territory. As part of the permitting process for a data center project located in the Poconos foothills, Northpoint Development sent letters this summer to the 10,460 residents of the neighboring township of Hazle Township, offering each household a check to be spent "as they see fit." Amounting to a total of $45 million, these payments would be a significant boost for many residents of the town, where the average household income is $60,000. They could be used to pay six months of rent for a two-bedroom apartment or to fund groceries or fuel for several additional months, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, many Pennsylvania residents refuse these payments, suspecting the developer is trying to bribe them into approving the construction of a data center that could generate noise pollution and light pollution, or simply contribute to the acceleration of AI development, which they fear could lead to massive job losses. Jeff Fasnacht, a retired teacher living near the site of the new data center, shared the same concern as many other residents across the country opposing the construction of data centers: a new form of "NIMBY" syndrome (Not In My Backyard). "Ten thousand dollars is nothing compared to the drop in the value of my property," said Jeff Fasnacht to the Wall Street Journal, while sipping a scotch and smoking a cigar after a round of golf. Ed Negra, a retired property owner, added that the developer's offer could ultimately work against them, as it might encourage residents to look into the potential drawbacks of the data center. "I think it has the opposite effect, because most people say: 'Hey, are they trying to bribe us?'" he said. Opposition to data centers has become so strong that people would prefer to see a nuclear power plant in their neighborhood rather than a data center, according to a Gallup poll conducted in May 2026. Developers have made unprecedented efforts to convince wary property owners, offering tens of millions of dollars in funding to local schools, fire departments, and other services. At the local Italian festival in the Hazle township, residents could see a sign indicating "Free rides offered by Northpoint," according to the Journal. Direct cash payments to residents could constitute the boldest attempt to date to win public opinion—even though political officials from both sides are increasingly reluctant toward data centers, concerned about satisfying their voters in view of their re-election. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, a Republican, ordered a freeze on data center construction permits, while the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, declared an unprecedented moratorium on large-scale data center construction. The Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, signed an order banning confidentiality agreements between local communities and companies operating data centers, taking a stand against what he called "predatory" developers. John Zola, who lives near Hazle Township, in the town of Sugarloaf, believes that local officials across the state are too easily convinced by big developers—and then "the floodgates open, and the towns grant tax exemptions for ten years." Brent Miles, marketing director of NorthPoint, explained that the idea of $10,000 checks came about after a public meeting last year, during which angry residents questioned the company about what they would gain from the data center. "I think we have something really innovative here, which directly answers the question: 'What's in it for me?'" said Brent Miles to the Journal. The company also plans to provide an additional $120 million to support the town over the next 15 years, including funding for a local police service, he added. Charlie Leshko, a retired maintenance and cleaning worker living in a senior residence, told the Journal that he was considering using these payments to buy a new car or make a down payment on a house. "You don't earn $10,000 every day," said Charlie Leshko. "I've always dreamed of having my own house." Carl Majusiak, a retired foundry worker, said he had initially considered these checks but ultimately decided they were not enough to compensate for the real estate project. "At first, I thought, 'Okay, maybe I'll think about it,'" explained Carl Majusiak, before concluding: "But I finally thought, 'We don't need this here.'" Facing this growing opposition and increasing reluctance from residents and local officials, the technology industry has launched its own counteroffensive. Tech billionaires have thus launched a campaign to save AI data centers, led by the lobbying group "Build American AI," which is heavily investing in strategic states to highlight the economic benefits and jobs generated by these centers. A communication effort that reflects the importance of this issue as the mid-term elections approach, while many projects are still blocked or delayed across the country.