- Erin Brockovich — famous for the Hinkley case and portrayed by Julia Roberts — has launched Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting to compile community complaints and map nearly 4,000 data-center reports nationwide, pushing for greater transparency.
- Residents say many projects are sprung on communities after approvals or with poor notice (examples cited: Meta’s Hyperion plan near Holly Ridge, and a controversial $100B project in Box Elder County), fueling local backlash.
- Data centers bring jobs and tax revenue but also big environmental and cost worries — U.S. data-center energy use rose to 176 TWh in 2023 (about 4.4% of consumption), heavy water use for cooling, and studies warn they could raise average electricity bills by ~8% by 2030.
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