Erin Brockovich criticizes Microsoft data center secrecy in Utah
Tech companies are secretly pushing data centers into communities via NDAs, sparking widespread backlash over water use, energy costs, and wildlife impacts. Microsoft and Utah’s governor have responded by ending secrecy demands and tightening regulations, reflecting growing public demand for transparency.
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich says big tech is sneaking multi-billion-dollar data centers into communities under cover of NDAs, sparking furious local pushback. Speaking on “The Jim Acosta Show,” Brockovich said developers and local leaders routinely sign non-disclosure agreements before residents even hear about the plans, leaving families feeling blindsided and ignored. “They’re being shoved down people’s throats in secrecy,” she told Acosta, adding that many projects are disguised as warehouses until the paperwork is signed and the groundbreaking starts.
The backlash is spreading fast. In Utah, tech investor Kevin O’Leary’s planned data center triggered statewide protests over water use, energy bills and wildlife impacts, prompting Governor Spencer Cox to unveil a new regulatory framework last Friday that tries to balance growth with local concerns. Cox wrote on X that Utahns “deserve confidence that water resources, air quality, utility rates, wildlife, and quality of life will be protected,” signaling a broader political shift away from automatic green lights for hyperscale builds.
Even Microsoft, which once relied on NDAs to keep early-stage deals quiet, has reversed course after local opposition. In January the company said it would stop requesting secrecy agreements and adopt a “Community-First AI Infrastructure Plan” that pledges to pay for its own electricity, slash water use, and create local jobs before breaking ground. “Being transparent with the communities where we operate is paramount,” Microsoft stated, framing the shift as a trust-building move rather than a concession.
Brockovich argues the secrecy itself—not the centers—is the real problem. She told Acosta that most residents aren’t ideologically opposed to data centers; they just want honest conversations about noise, traffic, and utility costs before bulldozers arrive. With dozens of similar fights erupting from Virginia to Arizona, Brockovich’s warning suggests the tech industry’s rapid expansion could slow unless companies start talking to neighbors instead of slipping plans past them.
