Protesters rally against proposed data center in Walla Walla County
Protesters rallied against a proposed Amazon data center in Burbank, Walla Walla County, Washington, raising concerns about power bills and water supply. Amazon hosted an open house to address community questions and provide transparency regarding the project.
Protesters gathered outside Columbia High School in Burbank, Washington, to rally against a proposed Amazon Web Services data center, coinciding with an open house hosted by Amazon. Demonstrators expressed concerns that the data center could increase local power bills and negatively impact Walla Walla County's water supply, with some also voicing fears about job displacement due to AI.
Amazon officials, including Carolyn Jackson, were present at the event, which was open to the community from 4 PM to 8 PM. Jackson stated that the company's objective was to engage directly with residents, answer questions about their investment plans, water usage, and the facility's location, and ensure transparency to be a good neighbor. Protesters were asked by the Walawwala County Sheriff's Office to demonstrate off the high school campus, which Amazon had rented for the open house.