Editor’s Notebook: Are data centers the new coal mines of Kentucky?

By: Linda Blackford

Outlets: Kentucky Lantern

Published: June 18, 2026

Words: 747

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

Body Text Preview

Are data centers the new coal?

Or are they the new landfills? Or the new prisons?

The comparisons aren’t perfect, but they are easy to make: a brand new shiny industry owned by out-of-state corporations comes to a beleaguered region with the promise of (some) jobs, part of an ephemeral promise to buttress the failing economies and depopulating regions of Kentucky.

Like the coal needed to fuel our national industrialization, data centers are inevitable …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us