Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) took a Trump EPA official to task on Thursday regarding the environmental effects of a Meta data center in Georgia during a hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. While questioning Jessica Kramer, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water, Ocasio-Cortez pulled a move straight out of “Erin Brockovich,” presenting two jars full of brown water from a rural Georgia community. “I have a jar right here, this is the current drinking water in Morgan County, Georgia,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Right after a data center was constructed, the Meta data center was constructed; the only difference between the clean water and this was that data center.” The congresswoman visited Morgan County two weeks ago, according to a press release from her office. “Ten percent of the water used each day by the community goes to this Meta data center. The community is on track for a total water deficit by 2030,” the press release stated. Ocasio-Cortez then told Kramer that the issue “wasn’t just one
well” or “one family’s situation.” “This is what the drinking water now looks like, next to that data center,” said the congresswoman. “And I think both of us can agree that neither one of these things are drinkable. These families now have to ship — in a rural area — have to ship water to their house in order to cook and bathe themselves.” Ocasio-Cortez also pressed Kramer on whether the EPA will be investigating how data centers affect local water supplies. “So as soon
as I get back to the office, I will be looking into exactly what you just talked about,” Kramer replied. “Because anywhere, whatever type of construction it is, it is a priority to ensure that water quality standards, established by EPA, are being met.” The Trump administration has frequently granted regulatory deference to tech companies seeking to build data centers across the country, despite opposition from local communities. Last summer, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate federal permitting on data centers. Earlier
this month, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin proposed a rule that would allow data centers to begin “pre-construction” activities before receiving final environmental approval from the agency. In that rule proposal, the EPA claims those activities have “no impact to human health or the environment.” In March, Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to pause the construction of data centers used for artificial intelligence until laws are in place to curb harmful environmental effects from their construction and operation. And while Ocasio-Cortez may have
had her “Erin Brockovich” moment, the real Erin Brockovich is steeped in the issue as well, publishing and maintaining a map of major AI data centers in the U.S. that are either operational or under construction. Watch Ocasio-Cortez question Kramer from Thursday’s hearing here
AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, EPA, Jessica Kramer, water quality, data centers, Meta, Morgan County Georgia, House Oversight, Lee Zeldin, artificial intelligence, Erin Brockovich, regulatory deference
How is Meta even allowed to build that much stuff near people’s wells??
Wait so the water is brown AFTER the data center went in? Not saying it’s definitely the cause but cmon… brown water isn’t “safe” regardless. If they’re already shipping water to houses then this should be an emergency.
AOC with the jars thing… I mean I get the point but jars as evidence is kinda wild. Like couldn’t be runoff from construction generally? Also “Meta data center” sounds like social media, so I’m confused how that would mess with pipes.
This is why none of it matters—EPA investigating while families are already stuck shipping water. They act like it’s just “construction” like it’s normal. And Georgia has like no water anyway, so how are they using 10% of the community water and pretending that’s fine? I saw someone say it’s probably one contaminated well but the article literally says it’s not just one family, so… yeah.