Date: October 4, 2018
Contact: mediacenter@freeandfairmarketsinitiative.com
Free & Fair Markets Initiative Submits FOIA Requests To Find Out How Amazon Is Getting Taxpayers To Pay Their Data Center Electric Bills
The Free & Fair Markets Initiative (FFMI) today submitted 12 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for information regarding lucrative contracts given to Amazon by state utilities in Virginia, California, Ohio and Oregon.
“It’s simply outrageous that the third-richest company in the world is going around strong-arming lawmakers and utility companies for discounted electricity rates or installation subsidies, and taxpayers deserve to know what’s going on behind closed doors with these sweetheart deals,” said Robert B. Engel, chief spokesperson for FFMI. “Amazon has already received billions in taxpayer subsidies for fulfillment centers and is in the process of asking for massive sums of corporate welfare for HQ2. We must get to the bottom of what is going on with this crony capitalism – no taxpayer should be forced to pay new fees or higher rates because Amazon refuses to pay the same price for electricity as everyone else.”
A recent report exposed that Amazon had received reduced utility rates to power Amazon’s data centers in these states. The costs of these electricity deals are not required to be made public since they are an agreement between utility companies, but experts estimate that they could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
To view the full FOIA requests, click below:
Virginia Office Of The Attorney General
Virginia Corporation Commission Division of Public Utility Regulation
United States Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District
Ohio Office Of The Attorney General
Public Utilities Commission Of Ohio
United States Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District
Oregon Office Of The Attorney General
Oregon Public Utility Commission
United States Army Corps Of Engineers Portland District Office Of Counsel
California Office Of The Attorney General
California Public Utilities Commission
United States Army Corps of Engineers USACE Sacramento District
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ABOUT THE FREE AND FAIR MARKETS INITIATIVE
The Free & Fair Markets Initiative (FFMI) is a non-profit coalition of businesses, consumer advocacy groups, workers and community activists committed to scrutinizing and highlighting emerging market trends that are stifling competition and innovation, influencing federal and local government spending, putting consumer data in harm’s way and limiting consumer choice. For a list of members, please visit https://freeandfairmarketsinitiative.org/about-us/members/. For more information on the Free & Fair Markets Initiative, please visit https://freeandfairmarketsinitiative.org.
