Thanks Rich & Erin Brockovich for this very informative , Data centers information. How it is going to deplete and pollute the clean drinking water , use excessive electricity and assist in the elimination of the planet. and the population.
Drey Dossier makes an interesting case for the reflecting pool work being part of a project to support a data center under the planned ballroom. As to data centers, local govts want the property taxes generated by them. People in my area are objecting at local government meetings and demanding a ban.
The infrastructure cost framing is the one that governance discussions almost always skip. Data centers are not abstract — they have water budgets, energy contracts, and zoning decisions made by local governments that often have no idea what they're approving. The accountability gap here is upstream: the communities bearing the cost had no meaningful role in the procurement decision that created it. That's not a technology problem, it's a political economy problem that technology made visible.
Thank you, Mr. Wilson for the most encouraging and helpful podcast.For four months everyone had electricity bills over 500 hundred dollars. The city council keeps asking the questions to the electric company here as to why it happened from Independence, Coffeyville, Cherryvale, Ks and yet the electricity company which was building a new plant has still not answered. Oh well it something to think about and write it all down.
I think after watching Soultions for Alabama, I believe that perhaps that they are building data centers that prisoners can work in because of the billions of dollars being spent on these facilities.
Thank you Rick and Erin B! The Data Center swindle recently shoved it's way to the top of my list. Obvious dangers, and squishy centrist Democratic Gov and Senator want to nibble around the edges.
We're in VA-05, which is mostly rural-red. And it's clear this issue cuts across all political divisions.
Hey Rick, in VA big datacenter assholes are running ads falsely claiming that data centers don’t use up all our water and electricity. Pretty sure NO ONE is fooled. Henrico Co is exhibit A
According to one economist the data centers will crash our economy in three years; they need to be refurbished every 3 years! No other infrastructure has such a short life span!
Please look into what’s happening in one of the most beautiful areas of West Virginia: Tucker County and the struggle with Fundamental Data. It’s unconscionable. There are so many things wrong with building data centers there I don’t even know where to start. Maybe here: https://www.tuckerunited.com
They seem to mostly being buying the bs about the “jobs that will be created”. Never mind any thought of the ones that will be lost when the tourist economy disappears!
Yes, 3 to 3+ months of construction work, and then nothin'. And in a few years, as Erin and Rick pointed out, the 15 low-paying jobs will be gone because the technology will change, and those communities will be left with gigantic, crumbling, useless structures that are shedding toxins into the water and soil.
The thing is, the utility company in your area is probably hand-in-glove with the data center industry, they have probably made LARGE donations to key state legislators and quite possibly your local government.
This reminds me of all the big-box store scams of the 80s and 90s, where companies like WalMart would open huge stores in blighted communities promising lots of jobs....then when profits didn't materialize, they'd simply shut down, leaving a big ugly trashed site in the middle of the community, after having put all the small local vendors out of business. Lovely.
First WV was stripped of its trees, then pillaged for its coal. This is the third assault by people and companies who will take the money and run, leaving residents with a blighted landscape. Again.
It’s worse than that. Local input has been legislated out of existence. Most of the tax money stays in Charleston instead of coming back to the county to help fund …. schools? EMS? Anything?
Watching this now. I was already upset. I’m singing The Last Resort tonight and I bummed myself out practicing. Sad song. Sad days. I’m calling it Prayereaoke = Prayer + Karaoke 🎼🙏🎶🏵️
AI progress has real benefits, but the environmental and community impacts of scaling infrastructure deserve serious attention.
Essential information for all of us!
Thanks Rich & Erin Brockovich for this very informative , Data centers information. How it is going to deplete and pollute the clean drinking water , use excessive electricity and assist in the elimination of the planet. and the population.
Drey Dossier makes an interesting case for the reflecting pool work being part of a project to support a data center under the planned ballroom. As to data centers, local govts want the property taxes generated by them. People in my area are objecting at local government meetings and demanding a ban.
The infrastructure cost framing is the one that governance discussions almost always skip. Data centers are not abstract — they have water budgets, energy contracts, and zoning decisions made by local governments that often have no idea what they're approving. The accountability gap here is upstream: the communities bearing the cost had no meaningful role in the procurement decision that created it. That's not a technology problem, it's a political economy problem that technology made visible.
Fantastic discussion. Thank you. Passing this on!
Thank you, Mr. Wilson for the most encouraging and helpful podcast.For four months everyone had electricity bills over 500 hundred dollars. The city council keeps asking the questions to the electric company here as to why it happened from Independence, Coffeyville, Cherryvale, Ks and yet the electricity company which was building a new plant has still not answered. Oh well it something to think about and write it all down.
Essential listening - thank you for this!!
I think after watching Soultions for Alabama, I believe that perhaps that they are building data centers that prisoners can work in because of the billions of dollars being spent on these facilities.
Great work Erin . How do I get more info?
Thank you Rick and Erin B! The Data Center swindle recently shoved it's way to the top of my list. Obvious dangers, and squishy centrist Democratic Gov and Senator want to nibble around the edges.
We're in VA-05, which is mostly rural-red. And it's clear this issue cuts across all political divisions.
Super helpful conversation! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This is the economist talking about data centers:
https://substack.com/@politicsusa46/note/c-274534633?r=3k6pe&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Thank you. That's Very helpful. Just a few numbers that anyone can understand!
Hey Rick, in VA big datacenter assholes are running ads falsely claiming that data centers don’t use up all our water and electricity. Pretty sure NO ONE is fooled. Henrico Co is exhibit A
Spanberger wants to be "business friendly." How about being human-friendly, Mme. Governor?
According to one economist the data centers will crash our economy in three years; they need to be refurbished every 3 years! No other infrastructure has such a short life span!
Please look into what’s happening in one of the most beautiful areas of West Virginia: Tucker County and the struggle with Fundamental Data. It’s unconscionable. There are so many things wrong with building data centers there I don’t even know where to start. Maybe here: https://www.tuckerunited.com
Maybe this will wake up the magat voters there…
They seem to mostly being buying the bs about the “jobs that will be created”. Never mind any thought of the ones that will be lost when the tourist economy disappears!
Yes, 3 to 3+ months of construction work, and then nothin'. And in a few years, as Erin and Rick pointed out, the 15 low-paying jobs will be gone because the technology will change, and those communities will be left with gigantic, crumbling, useless structures that are shedding toxins into the water and soil.
The thing is, the utility company in your area is probably hand-in-glove with the data center industry, they have probably made LARGE donations to key state legislators and quite possibly your local government.
This reminds me of all the big-box store scams of the 80s and 90s, where companies like WalMart would open huge stores in blighted communities promising lots of jobs....then when profits didn't materialize, they'd simply shut down, leaving a big ugly trashed site in the middle of the community, after having put all the small local vendors out of business. Lovely.
First WV was stripped of its trees, then pillaged for its coal. This is the third assault by people and companies who will take the money and run, leaving residents with a blighted landscape. Again.
It’s worse than that. Local input has been legislated out of existence. Most of the tax money stays in Charleston instead of coming back to the county to help fund …. schools? EMS? Anything?
https://wvpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Five-Ways-HB-2014-Harms-Communities-Local-Governments-and-Schools.pdf
That’s really unfortunate.
Watching this now. I was already upset. I’m singing The Last Resort tonight and I bummed myself out practicing. Sad song. Sad days. I’m calling it Prayereaoke = Prayer + Karaoke 🎼🙏🎶🏵️