On Friday, Mark Cuban said local communities should aggressively hold AI data center operators accountable if they violate laws or cause environmental damage, following reports that a contractor working on a Meta Platforms, Inc.
(NASDAQ:META) data center contaminated Cheyenne's wastewater system.
Cuban Says Communities Should Hold AI Data Centers Accountable Cuban weighed in after Cowboy State Daily reported that the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, suspended accepting wastewater associated with data center cooling systems following a reported contamination linked to a contractor working on a Meta data center.
According to the report, the incident prompted months of cleanup, with one city councilman describing it as "a very, very unpleasant surprise." Responding to the news on X, Cuban argued that communities should take decisive action when AI infrastructure projects cause documented harm.
"If the data center breaks the law or damages the community, the community should go after them with everything they have," Cuban wrote, adding, "The AI companies need the data centers more than they need air.
