Data centers can be usefully thought of as a type of industrial building
Compared to other light industrial sites, they have lower employment & local economic impact, but likely (much?) higher national economic impact. They use less water & often pollute less but use more power
The local pollution largely comes from diesel generators that are generally used only for backup, though some companies have been running them for primary power in some locations.
The environmental impact largely comes down to the source of power used for the data center.
