Erin Brockovich Targets Data Center Transparency: New Report Reveals Hidden Environmental Costs
- Erin Brockovich is now leading a campaign to expose the lack of transparency surrounding the massive water and energy consumption of data centers, arguing that tech giants are keeping critical environmental data from the public.
- A new report backed by her team found that data centers in drought-prone areas are using millions of gallons of water for cooling without disclosing local impacts, often competing with residential needs.
- The push comes as communities from Virginia to Arizona report sudden spikes in electricity bills and water shortages, which activists trace back to unregulated data center expansions.
- Brockovich is calling for mandatory public reporting of a data center's "environmental footprint" including water usage, backup generator emissions, and grid strain before construction can be approved.
- She warns that without transparency, local governments cannot properly negotiate tax breaks or manage infrastructure, turning data centers into "hidden monsters" that drain resources from the public.