
Erin Brockovich Is Taking On a New Issue: AI Data Centers
Clip: 6/16/2026 | 18m 19sVideo has Closed Captions
Erin Brockovich discusses the impacts of AI data centers on local communities.
A large data center in the U.S. might use five million gallons of water on an average day. This number is raising consciousness about the environmental impact of these centers. Renowned environmental activist Erin Brockovich is calling for more transparency on data centers' impact on neighboring communities — from persistent noise pollution to dwindling water supplies.
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Erin Brockovich Is Taking On a New Issue: AI Data Centers
Clip: 6/16/2026 | 18m 19sVideo has Closed Captions
A large data center in the U.S. might use five million gallons of water on an average day. This number is raising consciousness about the environmental impact of these centers. Renowned environmental activist Erin Brockovich is calling for more transparency on data centers' impact on neighboring communities — from persistent noise pollution to dwindling water supplies.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> NOW 5 MILLION GALLONS THAT'S HOW MUCH WATER A LARGE DATA CENTER IN THE U. S. CAN USE ON AN AVERAGE DAY.
THAT SHOCKING STATISTIC ACCORDING TO THE NONPARTISAN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE.
THIS IS ALL BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO COOL DOWN SERVERS RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF RUNNING THESE CENTERS.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS CALLING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THE IMPACT TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES FROM PERSISTENT NOISE POLLUTION TO DWINDLING WATER SUPPLIES.
RENOWNED ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST ERIN BROCKOVICH DISCUSSES HER LATEST CAMPAIGN.
>> THANKS.
ERIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US YOU KNOW MOST PEOPLE WATCHING HAVE WILL HAVE HEARD YOUR NAME PROBABLY FROM A MOVIE WHERE JULIA ROBERTS PLAYED YOU FOR A VERY FAMOUS LAWSUIT THAT CAME AGAINST PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC AND THIS WAS A SETTLEMENT BECAUSE YOU REALLY WERE FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATED BUT NOW WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT YOU ARE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY DATA CENTERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
YOU HAVE BUILT THIS AMAZING CROWDSOURCE TO MAP AROUND THE COUNTRY.
YOUR SITE CRASHED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND YOU HAVE GOT WHAT?
NOW 5,000 REPORTS FROM 49 STATES.
>> SO IT'S OVER 10,000 SUBMISSIONS AND EACH SUBMISSION THAT COMES IN I HAND READ.
AND THEN THAT GETS MOVED TO ANOTHER TEAM MEMBER WHO HAND READS AND VETS AGAIN.
ZIP CODE.
LOCATION, ALL OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION AND THEN IT GOES TO EXCEL AND IT'S PUT ON TO THE GOOGLE MAPS.
AND SO WHAT WAS VERY INTERESTING IS QUICKLY THAT I WAS LEARNING WHILE IT WAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EVERYBODY HAD THE EXACT SAME CONCERN.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY WERE NOT INFORMED.
IF THEY DID SHOW UP, THEY COULDN'T SPEAK.
THEY WERE ASKED TO LEAVE.
AND SO THAT BECAME A REAL PLACE FOR THESE PEOPLE TO START BECOMING CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
I AM CLEARLY LEARNED FOR 30 YEARS THAT COMMUNITIES HANDLE THE TRUTH WAY --LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
THEY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT WHEN SOMETHING IS DONE IN SECRET, OR THEY'RE LIED TO, IT BECOMES A DIFFERENT GAME.
SO --VERY QUICKLY THAT WAS MY FIRST CONCERN THAT I COULD SEE ACROSS THE BOARD THAT WAS HAPPENING FOR EVERYBODY.
>> WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE WRITING TO YOU ABOUT?
I MEAN, SOMEBODY AT THE COMMUNITY --SORT OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE SO TO SPEAK OR WHOEVER DOES THE PERSONALITIING FOR THOSE THINGS, WHETHER IT'S A CITY OR STATE GOVERNMENT.
SOMEONE IS IN A CONVERSATION WITH A HYPERSCALER DATA CENTER COMPANY OR ONE OF THE BIG SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES THAT USES THESE.
RIGHT?
OR THE AI COMPANIES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE DEAL, WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DEALS THAT ARE BEING DONE?
>> WELL, IN THE BEGINNING, AND AGAIN, AS THIS GETS BIGGER AND MORE INFORMATION COMES IN, WE START LEARNING FOR ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
FOR MANY OF THEM, IT WAS JUST BLANKET --THEY HAD NO IDEA.
JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS CONSTRUCTION WAS STARTING IN THEIR BACKYARD.
SO WHEN THEY WOULD GO INTO CITY COUNCILS AND THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS NOT ON THE MEETING.
IT WAS NOT SCHEDULED.
THEY WERE NOT NOTIFIED.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW UP.
AND THAT THIS WAS DONE UNDER NONDISCLOSURES' AGREEMENTS.
SO THESE COMPANIES JUST CAME IN AND MADE DEALS.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW AS PEOPLE ARE KNOWING MORE AND GETTING INTO CITY COUNCIL WHAT HAPPENED, A LOT OF TIMES, ZONING WAS CHANGED TO PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR THE LARGER DATA CENTERS TO COME IN.
SO THEY WILL TELL YOU AND THEIR VERBIAGE TO ME IS SECRECY.
COVER-UPS.
LIES.
DENIED WHAT THEY FEEL WAS THEIR RIGHT TO SHOW UP TO A MEETING AND HAVE A SAY ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THEIR BACKYARD.
SO IT WAS LIKE --NOTHING WAS DONE WITH ANY NOTICE.
THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDIES DONE.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ARE THERE ANY REGULATIONS.
THE WATER --ALL OF THAT.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT REALLY I THINK BEGAN THIS HUGE CONVERSATION WAS SECRECY AND IT --IT WAS NOT ONE TOWN.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT REALLY IS SURPRISING ME.
YOU KNOW, HINCKLEY WAS ONE TOWN.
ONE AQUIFER.
ONE CHEMICAL.
THIS IS A HINCKLEY IN MULTIPLE COUNTIES AND CITIES AND EVERY SINGLE STATE AND IT WILL FACT THAT ALL OF IT WAS JUST IN SECRET IS KIND OF SHOCKING.
>> IN YOUR EXPERIENCE NOW, HAVING LOOKED AT AND ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE AND SEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT LAWSUITS AT LEAST IN THE WATER POLLUTION SPACE, ARE THERE LEGAL TACTICS THAT YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE TO EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION WHEN THERE ARE THESE LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENTS IN PLACE THAT PRESERVE THE SECRETS?
>> I THINK WE'RE WATCHING THAT PROCESS HAPPENING.
SO THESE COMMUNITIES ARE VERY SMART.
AND THEY WILL START JOINING ONE NEIGHBOR AND ANOTHER AND ANOTHER AND MANY OF THESE COMMUNITIES THEY HAVE LOCAL ENGINEERS THAT WORK THERE.
PEOPLE THAT COULD --EXPLAIN THINGS TO THEM.
AND THEN THEY START TO ORGANIZE IN A THOUGHTFUL, MEANINGFUL WAY.
AND SHOWING UP AT THE CITY COUNCILS TO TRY TO GET INFORMATION AND THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE WATCHING IN THE PROPOSAL.
SO THERE'S MANY STAGES HAPPEN HANDGUN IS PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCTION TO UP AND RUNNING.
AND SO THEY GET ORGANIZED.
THEY NETWORK AND THEY START GETTING FACTS, INFORMATION, AND THEY INFORM THEMSELVES AND SO WE ARE SEEING SOME LAWSUITS HAPPENING AND AGAIN, THE REASON I LIKE THE MAPPING AND THIS IS SELF-REPORTING.
THIS IS THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING, BREATHING AND EXPERIENCING A SITUATION AND WHO BETTER TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM THAN THEM?
AND SO NOW CITY COUNCILS AND THERE HAS BEEN BIG TURN WHERE THEY'RE DOING PAUSES, MORATORIUMS, BANS, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP AND NOW THESE COUNCILS ARE BEING SUED FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY THE COMPANIES FOR BREACH OF NDA AND A CONTRACT.
AND SO I ACTUALLY GET EMAILS FROM MAYORS AND COUNCILMEMBERS, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT SUSTAIN THAT TYPE OF LAWSUIT.
SO THEN THEY KIND OF BACK AWAY.
SO THOSE TYPES OF LAWSUITS ARE OCCURRING, THERE'S MANY OUT THERE.
THEY --THIS IS SUCH A LOCAL THING.
STATE BY STATE.
YOU ARE SEEING LOCAL ATTORNEYS SHOW UP TO HELP SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITY AND THEN NOW YOU HAVE ATTORNEYS DEFENDING THESE COUNCILS AND THESE CITIES.
WHO ARE BEING SUED BECAUSE THEY BROKE THE CONTRACTS.
>> THERE WAS A RECENT PIECE IN THE ATLANTIC ATLANTIC TALKING ABOUT LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA WHICH IS HOME TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DATA CENTERS AND LOOK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND LEADERS THERE SAY LOOK, WE'RE PROTECTING $1.
3 BILLION IN REVENUE FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE TAXES --FROM THESE PLACES.
YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAYSEEDS THAT HAD MONEY TO BUILD # 32 SCHOOLS AND 16 FIRE STATIONS AND THEY'VE CUT PROPERTY TAXES FOR HOMEOWNERS BY A THIRD RIGHT?
THERE'S THIS ENORMOUS PILE OF MONEY THAT PEOPLE SEE AND I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE --SO WHEN YOU GET THESE EMAILS FROM PEOPLE, ARE THEY TAKING THOSE SORT OF COSTS AND BENEFITS INTO CONSIDERATION?
>> YES.
THEY ARE.
AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.
BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SPILL OVER INTO THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE WATCHED THIS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN YOU KNOW.
THIS CITY COUNCIL GETS MONEY BUT THEY DON'T PUT IT TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS THAT THEY NEED.
IT GOES TO SOMETHING ELSE.
OR IT'S MISAPPROPRIATED OR MISBUDGETTED.
WE'VE SEEN THAT GO ON FOREVER.
SO THEY ARE THOUGHTFUL OF THAT.
BUT HERE'S WHAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT.
THEY WERE LEFT OUT OF EVERY EQUATION TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND GIVE US A BOUNDARY.
HOW ABOUT WE START THERE?
AND NOT PUT THEM IN OUR LITERALLY BACKYARD.
THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
GIVE US A SPACE.
WHAT?
# 25 MILES, 30 MILES, SO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
THEY DO APPRECIATE THAT UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT'S COMING AT A COST TO THEM.
WHERE I NOW AM SEEING UTILITY BILLS DOUBLE.
TRIPLING.
WATER BILLS DOUBLE.
TRIPLING.
THEY'RE EXTRAORDINARILY CONCERNED FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON WELL WATER.
THEY'RE LOSING THEIR WATER PRESSURE AND HAVING BROWNOUTS AND THEY'RE HAVING FLICKERING AND THEIR WI-FI IS GOING DOWN.
THE NOISE IS DEAFENING AND THAT COMES AT A GREAT COST.
>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH OF THESE SEPARATE COSTS THAT PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING TO YOU ABOUT.
AND POINTING OUT TO YOU.
LET'S START WITH ELECTRICITY AND LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LAB ESTIMATED THAT U. S. DATA CENTERS ARE USING ABOUT 4% OF ALL THE ENERGY THAT'S BEING JUNE GENERATED IN THE COUNTRY.
WHAT DOES THAT NUMBER MEAN?
THAT'S REALLY ABSTRACT BUT WHAT'S THE COST OF THESE DATA CENTERS AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO PERSONAL LIVES?
>> YOU KNOW, SO LIKE --I PULLED OUT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAD JUST WRITTEN IN RECENTLY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL STATES.
SO THIS IS THE PERSON OUT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AREA WHO NORMALLY HAD --THIS IS THEIR WATER BILL.
AROUND $22 A MONTH THAT'S NOW SPIKED TO OVER $350 A MONTH.
THERE'S OTHER REPORTS HERE ON ELECTRIC.
THIS PERSON IS REPORTING THAT THEIR SUMMERTIME ELECTRIC BILL WENT FROM ABOUT $50 A MONTH TO IN EXCESS OF $300 A MONTH.
THESE ARE BIG JUMPS.
AND IT'S A HUGE STRAIN FOR THEM.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A CONVERSATION FOR THE COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN.
YOU PAY FOR THE ELECTRIC, WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY THAT COST?
AND THEN WE HAVE A FACILITY AND OUR BACKYARD THAT IS STRAINING OUR OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE IMPACT OF THEIR HEALTH.
SO I EVEN JUST RECEIVED AN AND AGAIN, I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW.
WE READ EACH SUBMISSION AND TRY TO VET AND VERIFY THAT INFORMATION COMING OUT OF TEXAS WHERE THEY GOT A NOTICE FROM THE UTILITY THAT THEIR ELECTRIC RATES COULD INCEASE 75% -- INCREASE 75%.
>> LET'S TALK ALSO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WATER USE AND THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
MOST PEOPLE WATCHING MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A LOCAL AQUIFER HAVE TO DO AND WHAT'S THE WATER COMING OUT OF THE SINK AND WHAT'S THE WATER GOING INTO THE DATA CENTER.
HOW ARE THESE ALL CONNECTED?
IS THERE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
>> THERE'S THE MUNICIPAL SIDE AND THERE'S PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN WELL WATER.
THE WELL WATER BECAUSE THE BIG CENTERS ARE COMING IN RURAL AREAS.
THE OLD DATA CENTERS AND WE KNOW WERE SMALLER.
AND THEY WERE MOSTLY IN SUBURBAN AREAS.
BUT NOW THEY'RE ENCROACHING OUT INTO THE RURAL AREAS OF FARMLAND WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ON THEIR OWN WELL WATER.
SO THEY REPORT A FIRST OFF --A REDUCTION IN WATER PRESSURE.
THEY ARE NOT GETTING ANY PRESSURE AND THEIR WATER IS JUST DRILLING INTO A BUCKET.
THEY'RE STARTING TO REPORT ESPECIALLY DURING CONSTRUCTION PHASES, AND THESE ARE VERY, VERY LARGE CENTERS.
I MEAN, YOU ARE TALKING IT COULD BE 20 SUPERSIZED WAL- MARTS IN ONE LOCATION.
IN A BIG FARMLAND AREA.
THE AQUIFERS CAN BE DISTURBED AND THEY START SENDING IN PICTURES SAYING WAIT A MINUTE, WHY IS MY WATER THIS MURKY BROWN?
YOU CANNOT DRINK IT AT THAT POINT TILL YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN IT.
THEN THEY REPORT WALTER PRESSURE LOSSES AND THEY REPORT THEY'RE HAVING TO DRILL NEW WELLS AND THEY'RE STARTING TO REPORT THAT THEY'RE ALREADY IN A DROUGHT STRICKEN LOCATION.
AND THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THE AI DATA CENTERS NEED, THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY COULD LOSE THEIR AQUIFERS AND THEY COULD LITERALLY BE OUT OF WATER.
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME PUSHBACK TO THIS IDEA PARTLY BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY HEY YOU KNOW WHAT?
LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF GOLF COURSES THERE ARE AND WHAT KIND OF WATER WE USE THERE.
AND THE AI CENTERS USE MUCH, MUCH INCREDIBLY SMALLER FRACTION.
RIGHT?
IT'S LIKE --WHERE --WHAT'S THE PRICE OF OUR PROGRESS?
WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH?
SHOULD WE BE ASKING PEOPLE TO WALTER THEIR LAWNS LESS OR SHOULD WE BE MAKING KIND OF BIGGER STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY TO TRY TO ENABLE THESE?
I MEAN, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT IDEA THAT THIS ISN'T THAT MUCH WATER IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.
>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT CONSIDERING HOW MANY ARE COMING UP AND THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS 30 MILLION LITERS AND ET CETERA.
OF WATER THAT'S BEING USED ON TOP OF AN ALREADY STRAINED SYSTEM.
I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD.
BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES.
WE HAVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
AND WE HAVE ANT KUWAITED AGED OUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
EVERYWHERE.
AND IT COMPARES TO A GOLF COURSE OR A DATA CENTER.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SEEN THE STUDIES WHERE THEY SAY THEY'D RATHER LIVE NEXT TO A NUCLEAR FACILITY THAN A LARGE DATA CENTER.
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT ONE ISSUE.
IT'S ALL OF OUR RESOURCES.
IT'S EVERY RESOURCE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS A STAKE THAT'S TOO HIGH.
YOU ARE NOT TALKING JUST WATER.
YOU ARE WALKING WATER AND YOU ARE TALKING LAND AND YOU ARE TALKING AIR AND YOU ARE TAKING HEALTH AND YOU ARE TALKING THEIR ENTIRE RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT FEELS UNDER ASSAULT AND NO JEOPARDY WITH NO CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.
>> ARE THERE SPECIFIC COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO WHAT THEY'RE SEEING THROUGH YOUR MAP?
THE NUMBERS OF LETTERS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?
WHAT'S THE RESPONSE BEEN?
>> WE'VE SEEN ONE SITUATION WHERE MICROSOFT CAME OUT AND EDUCATED THE PUNT AND THEY DID SHOW UP.
WE HAVE A TRUST FACTOR AT THIS POINT RIGHT?
BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
BUT THEY DID SHOW UP.
THEY START TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE SEEING SOME SHIFTS.
I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT 79 MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE NOW PUT ON BANS, MORATORIUMS, OR A PAUSE.
GIVE US THE DATA.
GIVE US AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY AND LET THE COUNCIL AND US RELOOK AT THIS AGENDA.
SO LET'S HAVE A PAUSE BEFORE WE COME BACK AND MAKE A VOTE.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALSO STARTED COLLECTING HEALTH REPORTS.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTH, THERE WAS A MODEL IN 2024 LED BY CAL TECH AND UC RIVERSIDE THE ASK THE RESEARCHERS THERE ESTIMATED THAT THE DATA CENTER COULD, COULD, CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED NUMBERS OF OF ASTHMA SYSTEM CASES AND PREMATURE DEATHS.
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH COST COULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $20 BILLION.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING, WHAT ARE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT MOST?
>> THE NOISE FOR ONE.
LET'S START RIGHT THERE.
THEY SAID IT --LITERALLY IT MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING MAD.
I HAVE HEARD FROM RANCHERS WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH THIS LONG 24 HOUR HUMMING.
HISSING AND IT'S PRETTY HARD TO DESCRIBE BUT IT'S PRETTY IRRITATING IF YOU HAVE TO LISTEN IT TO IT 24/7.
[ HUMMING ] AND AGAIN, THIS INFORMATION COMES AND AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT IN THE PAST YEAR, THE CATTLE HAVEN'T HAD ONE LIVE BIRTH.
SO --WHAT IS THAT?
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
THEY TALK ABOUT HEADACHES FROM THE NOISE.
DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, THIS IS A HUGE JOB.
AND IT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE WHETHER IT BE THE DUST INCREASED ASTHMA, CONGESTION BEING DELAYED TO WORK, WATERY EYES.
ITCHY SKIN.
ALL THOSE TYPES OF HEALTH ISSUES ARE THERE.
SO WE KIND OF MONITOR WHAT IT IS FROM DURING CONSTRUCTION, TO AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT'S UP AND RUNNING.
AND IT DOES TAKE TIME FOR THESE THINGS TO SHOW THEMSELVES ONCE SOMETHING IS UP AND RUNNING.
>> SHOULD THERE BE DIFFERENT RESPONSE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
RIGHT NOW THE ADMINISTRATION, PRESIDENT PASSED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYING QUOTE, MY ADMINISTRATION WILL UTILIZE FEDERALLY OWNED LAND AND RESOURCES FOR THE EXPEDITIOUS AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF DATA CENTERS AND IT GOES ON TO INSTRUCT THE EPA TO CHANGE THE CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN AIR ACT REGULATIONS TO GET THESE FACILITIES BUILT FAST.
SO WHAT --WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO?
>> OH.
WELL, THAT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR ME TO ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE DONE THIS FOR 30 YEARS.
AND WATCHED FEDERAL OVERSIGHT THAT GOES DOWN TO STATE AND THEN STATE GOES DOWN TO LOCAL.
AND I THINK WE'RE JUST ON A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT.
AND WE PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE AND I HAVE LEARNED COMMUNITIES HAVE LEARNED I THINK WE ALL HAVE, THAT ONCE WE DO THAT PROCESS, AND THEN THE STUDIES COME, WE COME TO FIND OUT TEN YEARS LATER, WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION ON THE UP FRONT SO WE DON'T MAKE THAT TYPE OF MISTAKE AGAIN.
THIS IS EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE.
THAT MATTERS.
OUR WATER.
OUR ELECTRICITY.
OUR LAND, OUR FOOD.
OUR WILDLIFE.
OUR ANIMALS.
AND OUR HEALTH.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR GOVERNMENT TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND DO THE RIGHT THING ON THE UP FRONT.
WE'RE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
>> ERIN BROCKOVICH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
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