data-center-expansion

The chapter chronicles Amazon's aggressive expansion of data centers in Northern Virginia and Columbus, Ohio, emphasizing the massive energy demands and extensive economic incentives secured through secrecy and local government collaboration. It highlights community resistance, particularly from historic African American neighborhoods facing displacement and environmental burdens due to infrastructure projects driven by Amazon and Dominion Virginia Power. The narrative culminates with Amazon's HQ2 competition, revealing the company's prioritization of corporate growth and market dominance over equitable regional development or social cohesion.

Chapter 6, "Power," examines the immense influence and control wielded by major technology companies, especially Amazon, through their data center operations and cloud computing infrastructure. It details the economic, political, and social impacts of data center expansion on local communities, including issues of zoning, energy consumption, tax exemptions, and corporate negotiation secrecy. The chapter also explores parallels between Amazon's market dominance and historical monopolies, highlighting concerns about corporate power and its effects on regional development and governance.