Data center plans bring pollution concerns
A community activist group opposes a planned data center at Fort Bliss, citing existing pollution and concerns about their quality of life, health, and the cost/availability of power and water. The U.S. Army selected Carlyle to build and operate the data center, which is intended to support the army's AI capacity goals.
A community activist group is voicing strong opposition to a proposed data center at Fort Bliss, expressing concerns about potential pollution, health impacts, and the cost and availability of power and water for nearby residents on the Far East Side. The group, whose members already live near a power plant and other polluters, fears that the data center would further degrade their quality of life and create additional health issues, particularly for children and the elderly.
KTSM reported that the U.S. Army has selected global investment firm Carlyle to develop and operate the Fort Bliss data center. Officials stated the facility is critical for the army's strategic objective of rapidly expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities to maintain a technological edge. The project is projected to create 2,000 jobs and generate billions of dollars.