REDMOND, Wash. (RFD News) — Tech companies are speaking out about the role data centers play in the communities where they operate.
Mary Snapp with Microsoft pointed to steps the company has taken as it builds new data centers.
“We cannot build data centers unless we’re good neighbors. In March of 2026, Microsoft removed the requirement for NDAs with the communities in which we were negotiating. In January, we announced our community AI-first infrastructure with five clear points. First, we’re gonna pay for the electricity we consume. In places, we’ll help to augment it. In Pecos, Texas, where we are building a major data center, we’re also co-locating natural gas power.”
Snapp says they are also looking for ways to benefit the communities where they operate.
In Quincy, Washington, one company says it has cut its use of drinking water by about 97% by recycling cooling water. Its Iowa data centers employ about 540 people, with more than 1,600 workers during peak construction.
The company also says it adds to local tax revenue and supports hospitals, schools, parks and community groups, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
