Amazon announces $20 billion plan to build 2 major new facilities: 'Now is our time'

In an effort to invest in American communities, Amazon has revealed a $20 billion plan to build two massive data centers in Pennsylvania.

On June 9, the company announced its intention to expand, with cloud computing and AI infrastructure key factors driving data center demand.

As the Associated Press reported, Amazon has chosen to build one data center complex in Fairless Hills at the site of a former steel mill. The second data center will be located next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick.

According to Amazon, the $20 billion investment will create 1,250 new high-skilled jobs in Pennsylvania while also continuing to support ongoing jobs with Amazon Web Services.

In addition to the construction of the new data centers, Amazon will also launch the Amazon Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Fund. The company's press release noted that the fund will be a "$250,000 commitment for grants up to $10,000 supporting STEM education, sustainability and environment, digital skills, culture and heritage, health and well-being."

At a press conference near the Susquehanna nuclear power plant, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke about the recent history of the state regarding dwindling workforces.

Watch now: Does clean energy really cause blackouts?

"For too long, we've watched as talents across Pennsylvania got hollowed out and left behind," Shapiro said. "No more. Now is our time to rebuild those communities and invest in them. This investment in Pennsylvania starts reversing that trend."

Amazon also touted the company's development of sustainable and renewable energy projects in Pennsylvania. In Greencastle, Amazon built a facility that focuses on the reuse and refurbishment of electronic equipment used in its data centers. Additionally, it has invested in 12 solar farms in the state.

Despite Amazon's commitment to sustainability — and, more broadly, a greater adoption of renewable energy to power data centers globally — its continued construction of data centers across the country has historically led to massive amounts of pollution that contribute to the rise of our global temperature.

According to the AP, the Fairless Hills data center will also get electricity from the grid. While this might speed up development, it has also "raised questions over whether diverting power to higher-paying customers will leave enough for others and whether it's fair to excuse big power users from paying fees to improve the grid."

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While its investments in wind farms and electric delivery vans can have a positive impact on our environment, the company still has a long way to go to truly make a difference regarding its polluting impact.

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