In March, a private company made an offer to buy a 250-acre farm in Mason County, Kentucky, for $10 million. The deal was shrouded in secrecy, with the company refusing to disclose its name or project details until after it publicly announced its participation. Dr. Timothy Grosser and his son Andy refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, citing concerns about transparency.
The offer is part of a larger trend in the data center industry, where companies are using NDAs to keep information secret until after they announce their projects. This has raised concerns among local residents who want to know more about the potential impact on their community.
Grosser said he’s not selling his farm for any amount of money. “We refused to sign it,” he said. “I’m not selling my farm for any amount of money.”
Mason County officials have been scouted as a location for data center development, and some residents are concerned about the potential effects on their quality of life.
The construction of hyperscale data centers is booming nationwide, with hundreds of projects announced last year. These facilities draw enormous amounts of water and electricity, causing concerns among residents who fear pollution and noise.
Data center NDAs can extend years beyond the initial proposal dates, requiring local jurisdictions to limit disclosure of records. This secrecy can leave residents in the dark until data centers are already deep into the approval process.
Residents have taken matters into their own hands, building a dashboard to quantify Project Blue’s data and water consumption. The project was ultimately struck down due to public outcry.
Local officials say the proposed data center could be an economic lifeline for Mason County, but many residents question whose interests are being served by the confidentiality surrounding the project.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/data-center-ai-google-amazon-nda-non-disclosure-agreement-colossus-rcna236423