Tech companies and local officials are covering data center talks in NDAs

Nondisclosure agreements covered up negotiations between a tech company and several local and state officials, surprising local residents. It's a tactic used around the country in data center deals.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2048x1365+0+0/resize/2048x1365!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faf%2F63%2F27b44cb8419c9ff2d9ef283adc53%2Fdsc03636.jpg' alt='Former sheriff's deputy Shannon McManus looks out over the data center project construction site in Boyce, La., last month. He's one of the local residents who has objected to nondisclosure agreements that kept negotiations for the project from the public.'/><p>Nondisclosure agreements covered up negotiations between a tech company and several local and state officials, surprising local residents. It's a tactic used around the country in data center deals. </p><p>(Image credit: Jay Marcano for NPR)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5879528' />