Blackstone's QTS, Vantage Pledge Data Center Disclosures Without NDAs

Blackstone Inc.'s QTS, Vantage Data Centers, Compass Datacenters and Digital Realty pledged to disclose power demand, water use and ownership structures for their projects to local communities as founding members of industry group Infrastructure for America. The four firms separately told Bloomberg they do not require state and local governments to sign non-disclosure agreements. The commitments are nonbinding, but executives said they hope the initiative sets standards and curbs worst practices. Organized opposition blocked or delayed at least 45 U.S. data center projects in the second quarter, according to Data Center Watch. The developers pledged to rule out water-intensive evaporative cooling, pay for grid upgrades and support rate structures shielding consumers from data center costs. The group, advised by FTI Consulting, plans ads arguing data centers fuel jobs and growth. Opposition has become a political flashpoint, with Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen and Richard Blumenthal querying tech firms on NDA and tax-break use.