Amazon Rebuts Criticisms Over Data Center Construction, Announces Over $1 Billion in Regional Support

Garman compared the current development of digital infrastructure to the construction of the Interstate Highway System that began in 1956, emphasizing that the costs are borne by private companies rather than taxpayers. He also stated that infrastructure development is an urgent matter to maintain competitiveness in the AI field, warning that any moratorium on data center construction being considered across the country would undermine U.S. competitiveness.

Regarding criticisms concerning water resources and electricity rates, he countered that such claims are a "myth." On the subject of water resources, he explained that the average water usage of an Amazon data center is less than approximately 49,000 liters per day, which is equivalent to the usage of 42 U.S. households.

On the other hand, he acknowledged areas where the industry needs improvement. The new guidelines include measures such as paying electricity costs to avoid placing the burden on local residents, ending non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with government agencies, and publishing annual reports on energy and water consumption.