Impact Type: Environmental Impacts

Defending Our Energy and Water Act (H.R.10004, US)

Extends existing requirements for federal data centers and adds (through the Office of Electronic Government) requirements for “protections for water resources… including the use of the most water efficient cooling systems.” Adds a mandate to “identify and integrate potential water efficiency technologies” for the largest Department of Defense data centers.

Environmental Impacts
Data Center Accountability and Citizen Protection Act (HB983, OH)

Excludes data centers from a privacy provision for businesses receiving financial incentives. Requires a citizen vote of any town within 5 miles before approval of a data center or data center expansion. Details including noise, light and power generation to be made public before votes. Directs director of environmental protection to establish air emission and…

Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Public Health Impacts
National Coalition Against Cryptomining (NCAC)

The National Coalition Against Cryptomining (NCAC) is a grassroots advocacy organization working across 21 states to oppose the harms of proof-of-work cryptomining and AI data centers. The coalition documents how these operations consume massive energy, drive up utility costs, pollute air and water, and disrupt communities while remaining largely unregulated. NCAC supports local chapters and…

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts
Policies for Data Centers, 2026

This Sierra Club policy brief outlines four categories of state-level guardrails to mitigate data center impacts: ratepayer protections through large load tariffs and cross-subsidy prevention, clean energy accountability via RPS enforcement and on-site renewable mandates, reform of tax and utility incentives, and public health protections addressing cumulative air emissions from backup diesel generators. The document…

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Public Health Impacts
The AI Climate Hoax — Ketan Joshi

This report, supported by a coalition of climate and digital rights organizations, interrogates the claim that AI will help solve climate change. It finds that most cited climate benefits come from older, smaller machine learning models rather than generative AI, and that the evidence for these benefits is weak. Meanwhile, big tech companies are veering…

AI-Specific Risk Analysis, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts
NEW POLLING: Research on AI Data Centers, Costs, and Pollution | Climate Power

Polling reveals that 64% of voters are concerned about rising utility costs from AI data centers, with 66% trusting their governor over federal officials to manage local impacts. Support for clean energy-powered data centers exceeds opposition to fossil fuel-powered ones by substantial margins.

Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts
Research on AI Data Centers, Costs, & Pollution by Climate Power

Research highlights the environmental impacts and costs associated with AI data centers, emphasizing the need for effective campaign strategies and community engagement to address these issues. The report is part of a broader advocacy effort by Climate Power, focusing on grid infrastructure and environmental permits.

Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts
Data Center Workgroup: Preliminary Report by Washington State, Department of Revenue

Washington’s 2025 Data Center Workgroup preliminary report finds that rapid data center growth is significantly increasing electricity demand and raising concerns about grid reliability, ratepayer cost shifting, and alignment with the state’s climate goals. The group also questions whether existing tax exemptions deliver sufficient economic return given relatively low permanent job creation. While no final…

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts
Data Center Tax Accountability and Disclosure Act of 2026. (S.5054, US)

Excludes data centers from a tax benefit (bonus depreciation) unless they have LEED gold / platinum certification or equivalent. Requires large AI data centers to annually disclose information about energy and water consumption, emissions, backup generation, and property setback to State government. Then reported to EPA and Dept of Energy who will make a public…

Environmental Impacts
The real winners from Trump’s ‘AI action plan’? Tech companies

Eight major tech companies spend a combined $36 million lobbying Congress in 2025, averaging $320,000 per day in session. Trump's three AI executive orders roll back Biden-era safety rules, ease environmental permits for data centers and promote AI exports. More than 100 labor, environmental and civil rights groups sign a counter plan.

AI-Specific Risk Analysis, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts