Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses water sample to highlight alleged Meta data center contamination in Morgan County, Georgia
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez highlighted alleged water contamination from a Meta data center in Morgan County, Georgia, using two jars of brown water at a congressional hearing. This article, an opinion piece from the New York Post, argues that such tactics mislead the public and feed an irrational "moral panic" against data centers, potentially hindering US AI development. It refutes claims about significant water and electricity strain caused by data centers.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) recently drew attention during a congressional hearing by presenting two jars of brown water, claiming they came from Morgan County, Georgia, and were tainted by a Meta data center, affecting local residents. The New York Post column argues that this display, while photogenic and easy to understand, was misleading. It references a New York Times report from the previous year, which stated that only four homes near the data center experienced water problems, not the entire county as Ocasio-Cortez implied. The article suggests the construction activities likely disturbed private wells, a common occurrence with any building project, and proposes Meta should replace the affected wells as a gesture of goodwill.
The author posits that the "PR damage has already been done," fueling what it calls a "moral panic" against data centers, akin to the historical opposition to nuclear power. The piece contends that this animosity is irrational and could sabotage the United States' progress in the AI race against China, based on misunderstandings and falsehoods. It refutes common concerns, arguing that while data centers require energy and water, their impact is often overblown.
Regarding electricity, the article claims evidence doesn't show significant effects on prices, noting that states with high data center concentrations, like Texas, have lower and slower-increasing rates due to "energy abundance" policies. Similarly, water concerns are deemed "overblown," with data centers using significantly less water than other activities, such as maintaining golf courses. The author also dismisses aesthetic complaints, suggesting data centers are typically located in industrial zones rather than natural preserves. The article concludes by hoping the anti-data center campaign will "fizzle" like the anti-fracking movement, rather than succeed like the anti-nuclear movement, to avoid hindering crucial technological advancements.