AWS pledges more than $1 billion for US data center communities

Amazon Web Services said Friday it would invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in US communities where it operates data centers. The spending will cover education, job training, energy affordability, water and energy preservation, and other local priorities. The commitment comes as communities oppose data center expansion over electricity demand, utility costs and local impacts. Amazon said more than 100 data center moratoriums were under consideration nationwide. AWS also pledged to return more water to communities than its data centers use by 2030 and said it was 75% of the way toward that goal.