Salcha, Alaska resident Sarah Hollister often walks a neighborhood trail that leads to a pond outside Eielson Air Force Base. It’s part of a military recreation area — civilians and servicemembers alike come here to hike and fish. It’s not unusual for military aircraft to fly overhead, momentarily interrupting the natual tranquility.
Lately, though, Hollister has been worrying that her community could be swallowed by a more persistent kind of noise — the hum of a data center.
“The roar of jet fighters and helicopters overhead has always reminded me of our sacrifices we make for freedom,” she said. “But the sound of a 24/7 hum from a data center shows me that we have completely lost our way.”…