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    Erin Brockovich launches map of over 4,200 data centres in the US, appeals for local communities to report environmental impact and other costs
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    Erin Brockovich launches map of over 4,200 data centres in the US, appeals for local communities to report environmental impact and other costs


    Erin Brockovich launches map of over 4,200 data centres in the US, appeals for local communities to report environmental impact and other costs

    https://www.newsweek.com/erin-brockovich-asks-americans-for-help-as-she-launches-data-center-map-11989813

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    48 Comments

    2. marketrent on

      Excerpts from article by Newsweek’s Joe Edwards and Kate Plummer:

      *[…] The website, brockovichdatacenter.com, lists several “key concerns” surrounding such data centers, including high energy consumption that drives environmental impacts and costs, substantial water use for cooling that can strain local supplies, increased e‑waste from frequent hardware upgrades, exposure to location risks such as natural disasters or geopolitical instability, growing scalability pressures that can outpace local infrastructure, and constant noise from cooling systems and generators that can disrupt nearby communities.*

      *“These challenges highlight the need for sustainable, secure, and efficient AI data center practices,” the website says. “Self-reporting is the best way we can get this information out to the public!”*

      *There are now more than 4,200 data centers—built to train, deploy and deliver AI—across the U.S., according to Data Center Map.
      According to the website’s statistics, more than 2,716 reports have been submitted, with the most in Texas (612), as of Monday. The state is home to more than 460 data centers, according to Data Center Map.*

      *The greatest concern among communities was water, followed by electricity, health and wildlife.*

      *“The race to build AI infrastructures is unfolding town by town across America. In some places, data centers are welcomed. In others, they are delayed, contested or abandoned altogether. This map captures the real-world footprint of that race—revealing patterns of growth, conflict and uncertainty,” Brockovich said.*

    4. marketrent on

      Also from the article:

      *[…] Why companies are choosing [Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Arizona, Georgia, and Utah]:*

      *Cheap land: Large-scale AI data centers require vast footprints; these states offer space at significantly lower costs than coastal markets.*

      *Power access: Reliable, high-capacity energy grids, often with options for renewable sourcing, are critical for AI workloads.*

      *Tax breaks: State and local governments are competing aggressively with incentives to attract long-term infrastructure investment.*

      *Fewer regulations: Streamlined permitting and business-friendly policies enable shorter development timelines and reduced compliance burdens.*

    5. MisterSanitation on

      More construction of these than housing… 

      The signs we don’t control our government is starting to get hard for the normies to ignore, it sucks higher bills had to force them to notice instead of giving a damn.

    6. trudyik on

      It’s the classic corporate playbook: privatize the massive profits of AI while socializing the infrastructure and resource costs onto local taxpayers. Tech companies build these multi-billion dollar complexes, secure massive state-level tax incentives that drain local public coffers, and then demand millions of gallons of public drinking water to cool their chips. If AI is as immensely profitable as Silicon Valley claims it is, they should be paying a premium tax rate to the communities they are occupying, rather than relying on residents to blow the whistle on the local damage.

    7. LeoLaDawg on

      There are data centers, and then there are DATA CENTERS. Which is which on her map? (I couldn’t get it to load)

    9. CarneyVore14 on

      Just read an article about a rise in anti-tech extremism. And now I see a map of all data centers/potential targets.

    12. nazerall on

      Anyone who has worked in a data center knows there’s barely any employees there. A few security guards, and minimal staff.

      The only money is for corporate owners and those who receive local political donations. 

      There’s no huge growth in employment or tax revenue, just a drain on local energy and water sources. The tax breaks do not pay for themselves, and only make energy prices more expensive for local residents.

    15. melted-cheeseman on

      Hmm. If data centers are hell, why is Ashburn, VA fine? It’s a low population town (46,349), but is a major data center hub.

    19. rickg on

      The issue isn’t ‘data centers’ though. Everything on the web is run on computers in data centers (which are really just buildings housing a concentration of computing and networking gear) and has been for 30+ years.

      The issue is that data centers for AI house computing infrastructure whose energy use FAR outstrips a normal data center.

    20. metaTaco on

      The 4200 number seems pretty questionable.  The breakdown on the site only lists 33 operational data centers and 2716 community reported ones.  It’s not clear if the community reported ones are verified or if they’re even actually data centers related to AI.  It’s not at all clear where the number reported by Newsweek comes from.

    24. squintamongdablind on

      I think data centers have unintentionally become a surrogate target where people can channel built-up frustrations over a myriad of collective grievances accumulated over time. They’re nowhere near the biggest problem we face; they wouldn’t even make my top 100. But when the root causes feel too massive or abstract to confront, people end up focusing on something closer and more tangible to direct their opposition to.

    28. ezagreb on

      There’s no way we need all this space this is just got to be investor capital out ahead of presumed demand

    31. empathetical on

      Thought all the corporations and government cared about climate change and carbon tax?

    32. existential_dreddd on

      Utah needs some serious help. Not only does cox and lee want to sell off BLM land (by filing a lawsuit to turn control of public lands over to the state, allowing them to sell it), but they are unanimously supportive of more data centers going up. Citizens have had enough, but it looks like its a little too late.

      We are in a constant state of drought and our political leaders time and time again favor industry over environment.

    36. reverandglass on

      Every time I see her name, my brain goes “oh yeah she was real.” followed by, “**is** real, she’s still alive.” Every time.

    37. Zukuto on

      its being freely reported like this as a free way for bezos to track, dismantle, buy outright, or otherwise sabotage in favour of centralization.

    39. slightlysublevel on

      It’s 2820, not 4200, and of the 2820:

      – 27 are “proposed”
      – 2716 are “community reported”

      Taking a quick look around towns I’m very familiar with: “community reported” just means “someone claims there’s something here,” but there’s not actually anything there. Just look at literally any rural “community reported” dot on the map, and then compare that with Google Maps. It’s entirely bullshit.

      Brockovich has been coasting on the movie that was made about her, and is completely irrelevant in modern life. She did absolutely nothing to help the people of East Palestine, OH, for example.

    40. TinyCuteGorilla on

      Funny thing is this website was clearly vibe coded so they used the tokens generated by these data centers 🙂

    41. aaron_in_sf on

      How about we get the equivalent map and moral panic for beef slaughterhouses, petroleum processing plants and depots, and chemical manufacturing?

      The point being this is a moral panic and it’s driving a narrative.

      Civilization has its costs.

      It’s not just appropriate but vital to have public discourse about costs and benefits in society, winners and losers, stakeholders all.

      But that dialog is not what this is, and there is no call for similar debate for other issues.

      How about we look at surveillance and social media, if we want to stick with tech!

      How about the right wing fossil fuel obsession in an era of catastrophic climate change!

      How about the costs of for profit medical care?

      Etc ad nauseum.

    42. hivernageprofond on

      Interesting how every map of the US I see that is really bad in one way or another for people always seems to have the same footprint. Slavery…anti abortion, anti lgbtq, poor education, dont believe in climate change, poorest people, most evangelicals. I imagine the pedophile map probably looks close to this too. And I hate having to live in one of these states too poor to escape.

    44. tphillips1990 on

      I do believe there are necessary discussions to be had about the impacts of AI on humanity.

      I also believe the tribalistic hatred of anything and everything to do with AI is practically becoming a religion at this point.

    45. Discombobulating_hit on

      I see Erin’s once again doing the work of those meant to govern and manage this. Shame on our government. Erin, Brava and thank you!