This reports that improper redaction in Nebraska regulatory filings exposed detailed water, electricity and tax-refund figures for Google-owned data centers. Google’s sites, reported under names like Agate LLC, Fireball Group LLC and Westwood Solutions LLC, had claimed usage and incentives were trade secrets under Nebraska statutes (Neb. Rev. State §§ 81-1527; 84-712.05 and NAC TITLE 115, CH. 2), but copying redacted text revealed the underlying data. The Department of Water, Energy and Environment required annual self-reporting under a gubernatorial executive order, with submissions due Sept. 30; a local newsroom filed public-record requests after finding the unredacted values. The disclosure method and the state task force oversight are central to the procedural concern.
The revealed figures are substantial: Agate LLC reported 52.65 megawatts peak electrical demand and 13.299 megagallons of annual water use (about 13 million gallons, roughly 20 Olympic pools), while six data centers reported a combined 765 million gallons last year (about 1,160 Olympic pools). Fireball in Papillion reported 547.88 megagallons for 2025. Documents also list expected 2025 tax refunds of roughly $55.8 million (Agate), $39.17 million (Fireball) and $22.56 million (Westwood), and Agate’s gross floor area at 288,530 sq ft (about five football fields).
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A researcher at a Russian plague laboratory in Siberia died from an unknown infection following a laboratory accident. Russian authorities have implemented special measures, but the exact nature of the released pathogen remains unclear. (scrippsnews.com)
European Commission staff dislike the EU's 'sovereign' backup platform Element Pro, calling it ineffective and poorly designed. The EC implemented it to reduce reliance on US tech, but staff skepticism remains high due to usability issues and concerns over data security. (gizmodo.com)
A researcher at a Russian plague laboratory has died from an unidentified infection. Authorities have not disclosed details about the cause of death or the infection. (cnn.com)
AI systems can trigger nuclear conflicts by amplifying human cognitive blind spots and overwhelming decision-makers during crises. Superintelligence is not necessary for AI to escalate nuclear risks, as current systems influence human judgment and actions. (thebulletin.org)
Site-blocking bills like the DEFEND IP Act aim to protect intellectual property but instead promote censorship and overblocking. These laws threaten the open web by creating systems that can be misused to restrict access to websites indiscriminately. (eff.org)
Google has suspended part of its open-source bug bounty program due to an influx of invalid AI-related submissions. The program's vulnerability reporting ended on October 1. (tomshardware.com)
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