Amazon says it has stopped using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies on its data center projects. AWS CEO Matt Garman included the change in an October 2 post defending the construction of AI infrastructure and setting out new commitments to host communities.
The announcement addresses a specific source of suspicion about how projects gain approval. TechCrunch reports that environmental activist Erin Brockovich identified transparency as the leading complaint she hears about data centers.
Garman says more than 100 data center moratoriums are under consideration across the United States. He argues that delays threaten the country’s position in AI and national security. His response combines a change in government dealings with promises about electricity costs, resource reporting and community investment.
What Amazon promises to disclose
The NDA statement appears in the community engagement section of Amazon’s new Data Center Commitment. Amazon also says it will hold open houses, share plans as early as possible and give communities opportunities to discuss projects as they progress.
The post gives no date for the NDA change. It also leaves unclear whether Amazon has released government agencies from existing agreements. The wording covers government agencies working on Amazon’s projects, so readers should keep that scope in mind when assessing the announcement.
Amazon separately promises to publish annual figures for energy use, energy efficiency, water use, water efficiency and the share of energy from carbon-free resources. The commitment does not specify whether that reporting will identify each facility, a detail that matters to residents assessing a proposed site.
Resource claims still need local evidence
Garman says direct data center water consumption accounts for about 0.5% of direct industrial water use in the United States. He also says Amazon’s average data center uses less than 13,000 gallons a day. Both are broad measures. A national share and a company average leave the demand at a particular site unresolved.
On electricity, Amazon says it works with utilities to ensure the prices it pays cover energy and the infrastructure improvements its projects require. Garman attributes rising rates mainly to an aging grid that has failed to expand ahead of demand. The commitment gives residents a claim they can compare with the cost arrangements for their own project.
Amazon also promises to use backup generators at new sites that meet the EPA’s Tier 4 emissions standards or equivalent standards elsewhere. Garman argues that backup generators typically run for roughly 10 hours a year, mostly for maintenance testing. That operating claim and the standard for new equipment address different parts of the pollution question.
A new spending promise
Amazon’s Built Together program promises more than $1 billion in additional community investment over five years, starting in the United States. It includes education and workforce training, energy efficiency grants and funding for local priorities.
That is a future commitment. Garman separately says Amazon contributed more than $1 billion over the past three years to US communities where it has a substantial data center presence. Keeping those amounts separate lets residents track delivery of the new program.
