Amazon Pledges $1 Billion For Communities Near Data Centers
Amazon announced plans to invest more than $1 billion over five years in communities near its data centers, supporting workforce development, education, conservation and other local priorities. The company is building an estimated $11 billion campus near New Carlisle and plans a $7 billion complex near Wheatfield in northern Indiana, raising concerns about electricity, water use and environmental impacts.
Amazon plans to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in communities near its data centers, focusing on workforce development, education, conservation and other needs identified locally. The company said it has already invested more than $1 billion in communities hosting major data center operations during the past three years.
In northern Indiana, Amazon is developing an estimated $11 billion data center campus near New Carlisle and a separate $7 billion complex near Wheatfield. Amazon projects the New Carlisle facility will generate billions of dollars in tax revenue for St. Joseph County over its lifetime.
The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of data centers supporting artificial intelligence and cloud services. Critics and researchers have raised concerns about the facilities' electricity demand, water use and environmental effects, while AWS CEO Matt Garman defended the company's expansion and said Amazon has stopped using confidentiality agreements with government partners and begun holding community information events.