Erin Brockovich’s Project on Data Center Concerns

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has initiated a nationwide project tracking community concerns about data centers. Her effort stems from numerous emails she received from residents in Louisiana, prompting broader attention to this issue.

There is increasing focus on AI-powered data centers, which need substantial electricity and water to cool servers. Brockovich has been vocal about the local environmental impacts of these centers. Her project collects reports from residents who feel they were not adequately informed about planned data center projects in their areas.

As technology companies build infrastructure for artificial intelligence, disputes over water usage, energy demand, noise, and transparency are arising nationwide. During an appearance on comedian Theo Von’s podcast, “This Past Weekend,” Brockovich shared how her endeavor began from a single community’s concerns and rapidly expanded.

I woke up one morning and I had 30 emails from the same community regarding the same issues—data centers, she said.

Brockovich researched these projects but found many questions unanswered. She developed a visual project, BrockovichDataCenter.com, enabling residents to self-report issues with local data centers. The response was overwhelming, indicating that concerns were widespread. The site has collected over 8,000 reports of operational, proposed, and ongoing data center projects.

The map highlights community-reported concerns such as water consumption, energy use, electronic waste, and planning issues. Brockovich emphasizes that these data centers have a significant environmental footprint due to the growing AI demand. Residents have raised issues regarding noise, land use, and impacts on infrastructure.

Brockovich advocates for increased transparency about these projects, especially in terms of water and energy impact. Her platform has brought attention to the lack of information provided to the communities, with many residents finding out about developments only after construction starts.

They had no idea. They woke up to this construction. We weren’t informed. City council didn’t tell us anything. she stated, adding that confidentiality agreements have sometimes kept communities in the dark.

While not all communities oppose these projects, and some highlight economic benefits like construction spending and technology investment, Brockovich calls for greater transparency. She points to her experience with Pacific Gas & Electric’s groundwater contamination case as a driving force for her advocacy.

Erin Brockovich became internationally recognized following the case against PG&E, where she helped achieve a significant financial settlement for affected residents. This background has propelled her interest in addressing contemporary environmental challenges involving data centers.