Amazon to pay $20.5 milion in settlement over pollution in class action lawsuit

Amazon has agreed to a $20.5 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit concerning worsening nitrate pollution in Eastern Oregon, despite denying the allegations. This settlement is notable as the first instance of a major tech company paying damages for public health threats allegedly exacerbated by its data centers, as reported by Rolling Stone. The lawsuit named Amazon and several other entities, including large agricultural operators, utility services, and the Port of Morrow, for their roles in nitrate contamination within the Lower Umatilla Basin. This basin serves as the sole drinking water source for up to 45,000 residents who depend on well water. Attorney Steve Berman initiated the case on behalf of six local residents, citing expert links between nitrate exposure and health risks such as cancer and severe effects in newborns. While nitrate levels in the basin have been rising since the early 1990s, predating Amazon's 2011 establishment of its first Morrow County data center, experts suggest that the tens of millions of gallons of water annually discharged from Amazon's 13 data centers—used for cooling—accelerate the movement of existing nitrates into the basin, thereby increasing their concentration. Amazon, in court filings, stated it opted for the settlement to avoid litigation burdens, despite asserting that its data centers draw from and return a small fraction of the region's water supply and do not add nitrates. The settlement, which awaits court approval, proposes allocating funds for private well projects to access deeper aquifers or for public water treatment, alongside $5,000 payments to each of the six plaintiffs. Attorney Berman noted that while it's a step, the issue is far from resolved, a sentiment echoed by a local resident and online commenters who criticized the settlement as a