The Federal Public Ministry and the Federal Public Defender’s Office have filed a lawsuit to suspend the licensing of a tech giant in Ceará, demanding impact studies and consultation with the local Indigenous community.
One of the largest digital infrastructure projects in Ceará is facing a critical legal impasse. The MPF (Federal Public Ministry) and the DPU (Federal Public Defender’s Office) have filed a public civil action to block the start of operations at the so-called Pecém Data Center, a project linked to TikTok located in Caucaia.
The core of the dispute lies in the integrity of the environmental licensing process conducted by Semace (State Superintendency of the Environment). The federal agencies question why the project was classified as having low-to-medium impact, which allowed the company Omnia, controlled by the investment firm Patria Investimentos, to proceed with construction without the need for an EIA/Rima (Environmental Impact Study and Environmental Impact Report).
Conflicts Over Water Resources and Indigenous Rights
The facility, which plans to operate with a capacity of 300 MW, raises serious concerns due to its complexity. The project includes 120 diesel generators and intensive groundwater extraction systems for cooling. For the MPF, the lack of in-depth studies ignores the risks to a region already marked by water scarcity and the reliance of surrounding communities on artesian wells.
Beyond the environmental impact, the lawsuit highlights a failure to comply with ILO Convention No. 169. The agencies claim that the Anacé Indigenous people were not consulted in a free, prior, and informed manner—a fundamental right for Indigenous populations whose lands are situated within the direct area of influence of the technology plant.
The requirement for rigorous studies and consultation with local populations is not a hurdle to development, but a fundamental guarantee to ensure that the energy and infrastructure sector grows without compromising the survival of ecosystems and basic human rights.
The Future of Operations and the Company’s Position
The lawsuit requests, as a preliminary injunction, that Semace be prohibited from issuing an operating license and that the company be prevented from energizing the complex until all technical issues are resolved. The deadlock threatens the expansion timeline of digital infrastructure in the region, which aimed to consolidate the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex as a global technology hub.
In an official statement, Omnia reiterated that the project strictly follows the procedures established by the state environmental agency. The company stated that it possesses all necessary permits for the current stage of construction and emphasized that it maintains open channels of dialogue with local residents, awaiting formal notification from the court to present its technical and legal justifications.
