Erin Brockovich Leads Global Fight Against Environmental Impact of Data Centers

Erin Brockovich, renowned for her 1990s legal battle against a California energy company that contaminated drinking water, has turned her attention to the environmental effects of data centers. In April, she called on concerned residents near planned data center sites to contact her, receiving 3,862 responses within a month. Brockovich warns that the rapid expansion of data centers, driven by the massive computing demands of generative AI, resembles her earlier fight but on a much larger scale.

Data centers are essential for powering AI applications, with global investments expected to exceed one trillion dollars in the coming years. Major tech companies such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta are heavily involved in constructing these facilities. However, concerns are growing over their excessive consumption of natural resources, including electricity and water. Brockovich highlighted that these centers use about 5 million gallons of water daily, equivalent to the average consumption of 50,000 people, and residents near these sites report significant noise pollution and soaring utility bills.

Brockovich has mapped 33 active data centers across the U.S., with 68 under construction and 41 more awaiting approval, mostly in rural areas. She criticized the secrecy surrounding many approval processes, which often exclude public access to environmental impact assessments. "If data centers are so great, why are they built in secret?" she questioned, emphasizing the destruction of nature and the community’s growing distress.

Her campaign extends beyond the U.S., with inquiries from Australia, India, Scotland, and Ireland. Brockovich describes the struggle as global, confronting powerful financial and technological interests. At 66, she acknowledges her advancing age but remains committed to the cause, aiming to leave a legacy for her six grandchildren.