Yesterday, Californians voted against the industry backed Proposition 45, which would have rolled back bedrock California environmental law, making it easier to build polluting facilities near places we live, play and learn. If passed, Big Tech could have used Prop 45 to try and push through an explosion of data centers across the state at a time when people are overwhelmingly standing up in opposition to the unlimited buildout. And it would also have cut communities out of the decision making process and penalized local governments that worked to protect residents. 

“Despite big spending from Big Polluters and Big Tech, Californians voted down this disingenuous and costly attempt to weaken environmental safeguards that protect our health and to kick communities out of the decision making process,” said Food & Water Watch California Director Nicole Ghio. “This is a victory for public health and the environment, and also for the fight against the unmitigated data center explosion, as Big Tech may have used Prop 45 in an attempt to ram through unpopular data centers in the state.”