Amazon Workers Urge City Council to Curb Data Center Growth

Two Amazon employees made a direct appeal to Seattle city officials on Wednesday, urging them to impose stricter regulations on the rapid expansion of data centers. Speaking at a public hearing, they argued that the unchecked growth of these facilities, which serve as the backbone of artificial intelligence, poses serious threats to the region’s environment, economy, and public safety.

“Local governments, in collaboration with community stakeholders, should be setting the terms for data center buildout,” said Liesl Wigand, a senior software engineer at Amazon. “Let’s not let Big Tech burn Seattle to win the AI race.”

Wigand was joined by fellow Amazon software engineer Patrick Schloesser, marking what labor organizers describe as an unprecedented public stand by tech workers against the data center boom. While employees at major tech firms have previously voiced concerns internally, this is believed to be the first time workers have made such explicit demands in a public forum, according to organizers supporting the effort.

Schloesser, who has worked at Amazon for nearly six years, proposed that data centers should be required to generate more renewable energy than they consume and include power storage systems to benefit the broader electrical grid. He also called for new taxes on tech companies and the creation of “worker-led safety committees that report to the city” on any AI tools that pose a risk to Seattle. “Tech companies are desperate to get data centers built,” Schloesser said. “That gives Seattle real leverage to demand concessions.”

Both employees are members of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a collective of current and former workers that has long pressed the company to address its environmental footprint. Other members of the group may testify at future hearings as the city considers a proposed one-year moratorium on data center permits. The collective is also urging officials to consult with labor unions and other groups representing frontline workers.

The push for regulation comes as tech giants and real estate developers plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on dozens of new data centers across the United States to meet demand for AI chatbots and generative technologies. Communities nationwide have pushed back, citing concerns over electricity and water consumption, toxic waste, noise, tax incentives, and the broader question of whether AI development is worth the cost.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. Meanwhile, companies like Microsoft and Google have begun to proactively address potential backlash by strengthening commitments to transparency and environmental standards.

In Seattle, city officials are weighing a one-year pause on data center permits to develop specific regulations. Currently, the city has no rules tailored to these facilities, according to city records. While Seattle hosts a few small data centers, several companies have expressed interest in building large-scale operations. Without new regulations, the city warns that such development could drive up water and electricity costs for residents and increase carbon emissions, with limited authority to intervene.