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EnvironmentErin Brockovich launches crowd-sourced registry to track US data center impacts
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Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has launched a crowd-sourced registry (brockovichdatacenter.com) for Americans to report data center construction in their communities. Speaking on a podcast, she said she received 30 emails about data center issues, prompting her to create the site. Within 72 hours of its April 27 launch, the website crashed twice due to high volume. Over 8,200 people have reported data centers near them, with 41% concerned about water supply impacts. Other concerns include electricity supply, health effects, and harm to wildlife. Brockovich criticized local governments for keeping residents uninformed, often due to non-disclosure agreements with developers. Business Insider notes over 1,400 data centers were built or approved in the US by end of 2025, with hotspots in Virginia, West Texas, and Wisconsin.
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Renowned environmental activist Erin Brockovich—whose work inspired the Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich—has launched a public registry of U.S. data centers, calling on nearby residents to report how these projects are affecting their communities.
Registry Launched in April
Brockovich announced the initiative on her Substack on April 27. Speaking in an interview with podcaster Theo Von, released on Sunday, she described waking up one day to find 30 emails from people raising concerns about living near data centers.
"So I created what's called brockovichdatacenter.com, where people, if they were having issues with data centers in their backyard, could self-report," she said.
She added: "This is a place where people who I believe are living, breathing, and experiencing these issues are the best source of information."
Website Crashed Twice Within 72 Hours
According to Brockovich, the volume of reports was so high that the website crashed twice within 72 hours of its launch.
Common Thread: Lack of Transparency
Brockovich noted that reports shared a recurring theme: residents had not been informed about data center projects by their city councils and often woke up to find construction already underway.
Key Concerns from Residents
As of the latest data, the website shows:
- Over 8,200 people have reported data centers near them
- 41% are worried about the impact on their water supply
- Other major concerns include electricity supply, potential harm to residents' health, and effects on nearby wildlife
Secrecy and NDAs at the Proposal Stage
This is not the first time Brockovich has spoken publicly about data centers. In a May episode of The Jim Acosta Show, she said local government officials often keep residents in the dark about these mega-construction projects because they have signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the companies behind them.
"There's a lot of secrecy and NDAs at a very proposal stage," Brockovich said.
National Context
Business Insider's extensive coverage of data centers shows that more than 1,400 centers were built or approved for construction across the United States by the end of 2025, with Virginia, West Texas, and Wisconsin emerging as hot spots.
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Erin Brockovich launches crowd-sourced registry to track US data center impacts