Settle Talk has posted two stories on the media meeting held on Monday with top Amazon officials.
The Ark-La-Tex Gazette has reported on it.
See the three postings below.
SB Advocate’s Business Editor Liz Swaine and their Bossier reporter attended Monday’s meeting that ended at 3:30 p.m.---that’s going on 3 full business days.
So, where is the news from the online paper owned by a New Orleans billionaire who wanted a three-year commitment of $500,000 per year to open a Shreveport location?
Settle Talk and The Ark-La-Tex Gazette are FEE online blogs.
If you want to read the SB Advocate, get out your credit card.
BTW The SB Advocate has reported earth shattering news since Monday on a local restaurant closing and an old brewery building for sale.
WHAT IS THE INSIDE SCOOP ON THE PROPOSED SHREVEPORT AMAZON DATA CENTER
Yesterday (Monday) Amazon officials held a 75-minute off-record technical briefing with subject matter experts on energy, water, wastewater, acoustics and economic development from the company’s development leadership and the engineers and technical specialists who design and operate their data centers.
The purpose of the briefing was to provide media representatives with” a solid technical foundation on how data centers work and how Amazon approaches each of the designated areas to build responsibility”.
The session allowed clarifying questions and note taking, but no recording.
The takeaways from this tightly structured session which obviously had an “Amazon” slant intended to benefit if not influence those in attendance will be reviewed in a subsequent Settle Talk.
But the BIG news from this secret meeting was NO news about the proposed Shreveport data center.
Speakers referred to Amazon’s $12 million investment in two data centers—one in Blanchard and one in north Bossier.
Absolutely NO mention of the proposed $6 million data center for southwest Shreveport.
Yes—nothing, nada, zero ANY mention of a Shreveport center.
Questions by this writer about the Shreveport center were repeatedly answered, “this meeting is NOT about Shreveport.”
The same answer was repeated many, many times, even when asked about the pending appeal by the Sierra Club to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals of the Shreveport City Council approval of the southwest Shreveport location for a data center.
Hmmm…was the silence because of the current litigation or has Amazon had a change of heart?
KEY POINTS FROM THE BRIEFING BY TOP LEVEL AMAZON OFFICIALS
It was impressive to say the least.
A team of high-ranking Amazon officials presented an informative briefing to local media representatives in a closed door, no recording meeting Monday (July 27) at the NELP conference room.
As expected, the detailed presentations were overwhelming with the amount of data shared by well-qualified individuals who discussed Amazon’s commitment to the local community, energy and water, work force training, and noise.
Although no recording was allowed, a transcript of the 90-minute session would fill a typical paperback novel.
Energy, water and noise top the list of data center concerns, and these issues were addressed head on in a no holds barred fashion.
Amazon repeatedly stated that its electricity requirements would NOT increase consumer electricity bills. They also constantly reiterated that Amazon would pay for all SWEPCO infrastructure upgrades needed to service the planned data centers.
Simply put, local Amazon data centers will not increase electricity bills for consumers.
The planned data centers will be the most advanced Amazon has constructed, which will further reduce energy demand beyond Amazon’s highly touted low energy consumption rating compared to the industry standard.
Amazon’s energy consumption will be regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission.
Data centers use water for forced air cooling which is long standing industry practice and Amazon’s water utilization is less than the industry standard.
Water will be recycled three times for cooling before discharge, with no environmental pollutants.
Amazon will pay for water delivery infrastructure upgrades.
Amazon's water consumption will not increase consumer water bills.
Amazon’s acoustics department is an industry first and its 15 engineers utilize and develop many noise reduction measures to reduce ambient noise from its data centers.
Data center backup generators will have noise reduction features and will be utilized less than 10 hours a year unless there is a power outage at a center.
This department also takes proactive measures to reduce construction noise.
Bottomline, the assembled group promised that the planned data centers for Caddo and Bossier Parish will feature cutting edge technology that will substantially reduce any negative environmental impact.
Not surprisingly, no negative data center information was provided at the well orchestrated the dog and pony show, which was chock-full of mind boggling technical poop on electricity, water and noise.
The cherry on top was the free mints and pens in the conference room along the half-fun pan of brownies on a chart outside the conference room was an added treat for yours truly as he hooked one going out the door.
A Closer Look at Amazon Web Services' Proposed Data Centers and Their Potential Impact on Caddo and Bossier Parishes
By Carla Buntyn, Ph.D.
When I first learned about Amazon Web Services' (AWS) $12 billion data center project in Caddo and Bossier parishes, I wanted to learn more than what I was hearing in the news. I wanted to understand how data centers work and what they could mean for our community.
Like many people, I had questions. Would data centers raise electric bills? Would they use too much water? Would they create loud noise for nearby neighborhoods? Would they provide good-paying jobs? Most importantly, would they benefit Caddo and Bossier parishes?
Instead of relying only on news stories or social media, I decided to do my own research.
Over the past several months, I studied how modern data centers operate, reviewed available information, visited communities with existing data centers, and spoke with people who live near them. During my trips to Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, a region I visit every 90 to 120 days to spend time with family and friends. I made it a point to ask residents about their experiences.
The answers surprised me.
I expected to hear complaints about noise, higher electric bills, or water shortages. Instead, many people said they rarely noticed the data centers. Some said the buildings had simply become part of the community, while others admitted they did not know much about them, even though they lived nearby.
I also talked with people who work in the technology industry. These conversations helped me understand how important data centers are in everyday life. When people stream movies, shop online, store photos, use artificial intelligence, attend online classes, or make virtual doctor's appointments, their information is often processed through a data center.
Every time I visit the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, I see continued economic growth. The region is home to more than 685 data centers, making it one of the largest data center markets in the world. New businesses continue to open, roads and infrastructure continue to improve, and the technology industry continues to expand. Seeing how these facilities operate alongside thriving communities made me wonder what a similar investment could mean for northwest Louisiana.
One place that stood out during my research was Loudoun County, Virginia. It is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States and is home to more than 200 operational data centers. The county has become a global technology hub, and the data center industry has played an important role in its economic growth. Tax revenue generated by the industry helps support public schools, public safety, transportation, and other local government services. Seeing how Loudoun County has grown gave me another example of how data centers can become part of a community while contributing to its economy.
If the data centers are built, Caddo and Bossier parishes are expected to receive new tax revenue. That money could help support schools, roads, public safety, and other community needs.
My research also showed me that many people have heard of data centers but do not fully understand what they do or how they affect local communities. That is why I believe it is important to learn the facts before forming an opinion.
According to AWS, the company plans to invest approximately $12 billion in Caddo and Bossier parishes over the next 20 years.
The project is expected to create about 540 full-time operations jobs, 1,700 indirect jobs, and 1,500 construction jobs. AWS says operations employees are expected to earn an average salary of about $190,000 per year.
AWS also provides cloud computing services for more than 1,000 businesses and organizations across Louisiana and employs approximately 8,500 people in its data center operations.
The investment goes beyond building data centers.
AWS plans to partner with Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC), the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA), and local K-12 schools. These partnerships are designed to prepare students for careers in information technology, cloud computing, engineering, fiber optics, construction, and equipment maintenance.
The workforce plan includes investments in classrooms, training equipment, certification programs, STEM education, and hands-on learning opportunities. These programs are intended to help local students gain the skills needed for future technology jobs.
Infrastructure is another important part of the investment.
The company says it would pay the full cost of the electrical and water infrastructure needed for the project while working with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and local officials.
The investment also includes approximately $400 million for water infrastructure improvements, electric transmission upgrades, renewable energy projects, and backup power systems.
According to AWS, the cooling systems use outside air whenever possible to reduce water use. Water is recycled several times before it is discharged, and the proposed Blanchard campus would receive its water from Caddo Lake.
Noise has also been a common concern.
AWS has approximately 15 acoustical engineers who help design its data centers using sound-dampening building materials, quieter cooling equipment, generator enclosures, and other engineering features to help reduce noise. I also found no peer-reviewed studies specifically examining noise from AWS data centers.
AWS has already invested about $500,000 in local organizations and says it plans to continue supporting education, workforce development, infrastructure improvements, renewable energy projects, and community partnerships.
Large economic development projects often bring both opportunities and questions. It is important for residents to ask questions, review available information, and carefully consider both the benefits and the challenges before making up their minds.
My goal was never to convince anyone to support or oppose this project. I simply wanted to learn more through research, firsthand observations, and conversations with people who have experience living near data centers.
After visiting communities with data centers and speaking with residents and technology professionals, I gained a better understanding of how these facilities operate. Many of the concerns I had at the beginning did not match what I heard from the people who live near them.
As Caddo and Bossier parishes consider one of the largest private investments in Louisiana's history, I encourage residents to continue asking questions, doing their own research, and making informed decisions based on facts.