As investment in AI infrastructure continues to heat up, the construction of data centers in many parts of the United States is also attracting more community attention. Environmental activist Erin Brokerwich has recently turned her attention to this area, advocating for transparency regarding data center projects and their impact on surrounding residents.

Launching a US data center map

Brokerwich recently launched a website that compiles information on the locations of data centers across the United States. The website labels this map as "still under development," with some information coming from voluntary submissions by residents of the communities surrounding the projects.

In an article, she stated that after publicly soliciting clues about data center-related issues in April of this year, she received nearly 4,000 responses in the first month alone.

The community is most concerned about information disclosure

According to her disclosure, the residents' questions covered issues such as noise, rising water and electricity bills, but the most frequently mentioned keyword was "transparency".

She believes that many of the controversies stem not only from the data centers themselves, but also from information asymmetry during the project's development. For example, some projects had already obtained permits and approvals before the public was informed; some developers failed to respond to community inquiries; and some local officials signed confidentiality agreements with residents before they were even aware of the projects.

They stated they were not against data centers or AI.

Brokovich stated that she is not against data centers in general, nor is she against AI. She is criticizing a recurring pattern of construction practices characterized by delayed project disclosure, insufficient communication, and a lack of community involvement in critical decisions.

This statement shows that as AI drives up demand for data centers, discussions surrounding project site selection, resource consumption, and local communication mechanisms are extending from the industry level to broader public issues.