Across the country, Big Tech companies are building massive artificial intelligence data centers—often in total secrecy.

From Kentucky to Arizona to Minnesota, these projects are moving forward behind non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that prevent local elected officials from telling their own constituents what’s coming to their backyards.

As NBC reports, in Mason County, Kentucky, for example, local officials signed NDAs that prevented residents from knowing a massive, power-hungry data center was being planned—until it was nearly a done deal. Neighbors weren’t allowed to know who was behind the project, what its environmental impact would be, or how it might affect their water, land values, or power bills.

That’s not how democracy is supposed to work.

We are calling on Congress and state legislatures to pass legislation that:

• Bans local governments from signing NDAs with private companies regarding land use, zoning changes, and infrastructure negotiations
• Requires full public disclosure of proposed data center projects before any taxpayer-funded incentives, power upgrades, or zoning amendments are approved
• Protects elected officials and whistleblowers from legal retaliation for informing their communities
   

The rise of AI should not come at the expense of transparency, environmental justice, or basic public trust.

If a project is truly a benefit to a community, its developers shouldn’t be afraid to say who they are or what they plan to build.

Sign now to demand that our leaders ban secret deals between Big Tech and local governments. The public has a right to know what’s happening in their own communities.

Photo: Michael Swensen for NBC News