A new national nonprofit launched today to counter data center misinformation is holding up Alabama’s landmark data center law as the model for the rest of the country.
Data Centers Work, a 501(c)(4) that describes itself as a factual resource for residents, local officials, policymakers and reporters, names four states on its community impact page. Alabama is one of them, and the only one whose law the group holds up as the answer to the question every county commission in America is now getting asked: Who pays for the power?
That law is SB270, sponsored by State Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City) and signed by Governor Kay Ivey in April.
Since October 1, the largest new data centers in Alabama must cover the full added cost of serving them, including new generation and fuel, and the Public Service Commission reviews each contract so none of it lands on other ratepayers. The PSC adopted its review process under the law last month.
Meta’s Montgomery data center is also featured on the site. According to Data Centers Work, the project will put more than 1,500 skilled trade workers on site at peak construction and more than 100 full-time employees once it opens. Governor Kay Ivey announced the project in 2024, and Meta has since grown it to a $1.5 billion investment.
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The stakes in Alabama got bigger last week. Lambda announced a $33 billion campus at the Project Red Clay site in Lowndes County, the largest data center investment ever announced in the state.
Running the new organization is Cory Custer, who has served since 2021 as deputy chief of staff for external affairs to Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. Before Jackson, Custer was a Trump administration appointee overseeing public affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and in 2016 he was the Trump campaign’s communications director for New Hampshire and Maine.
“Conversations surrounding data centers are among the most critical economic and infrastructure discussions taking place nationwide today,” Custer said. “I look forward to sharing transparent facts, dispelling common misconceptions, and highlighting the tangible benefits these investments bring to local communities.”
The group’s pitch is that “the facts about them are better than the fears,” and its website is built to prove it with sourced numbers.
On the economy, it cites a PricewaterhouseCoopers study finding the industry supported 5.5 million American jobs in 2024, added $927 billion to U.S. GDP and paid $204 billion in federal, state and local taxes. A typical build puts about 1,700 local electricians, pipefitters and welders to work and sustains about 157 permanent jobs at above-average pay.
On power bills, it points to a 2026 study of 2015 through 2024 that found the average household paid about 6% less than it would have without the data center buildout, because steady new demand spreads the grid’s fixed costs across more customers.
On water, it says all U.S. data centers consumed about 17 billion gallons in 2023, and golf courses use 31 times more. Newer facilities run closed-loop cooling that is filled once and recirculated; one large Wisconsin campus uses about as much water on its busiest day as 65 homes.
On taxes, it holds up Loudoun County, Virginia, where data centers fund 38% of the county budget, return $26 for every $1 in services they require, and have let the county cut its residential property tax rate every year for a decade.
On noise, it cites Loudoun’s 55-decibel cap at the property line, quieter than a normal conversation.
The group describes its backers as organizations that want citizens and local leaders working from accurate information.
Custer’s job, per the launch announcement, is to counter misinformation, back up local leaders while projects are being built and make the case that data centers deliver long-term value through infrastructure investment and secure digital infrastructure.
The group’s website is live at datacenterswork.com, with Alabama’s law and the Montgomery Meta campus featured on its community impact page.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
