Public Health Impacts - Stop Bad Data Centers

Commercial Data Center Water Protection Act (HB 2760, PA)

Requires data centers that pollute or diminish public or private water supplies to restore or replace the affected supply with an alternate source of water. Must meet prior quality standards or Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Impacted parties can initiate Department of Environmental Protection investigation. Cases of contamination to be made public.

Environmental Impacts, Public Health Impacts

Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium and Impact Study Act. (A5482, NJ)

Establishes six month moratorium on approvals and incentives for AI-focused data centers. Establishes commission to study and report on electrical grid impacts, water consumption, sewer and wastewater impacts, environmental and climate impacts, public health concerns, cybersecurity and homeland security risks, labor and workforce impacts, property tax and municipal fiscal impacts, effects on residential and commercial…

Community Heat Protection and Industrial Accountability Act. (HB 479, DE)

Requires the temporary cessation, or mitigation, of commercial activities, explicitly including data center operations, that materially elevate nearby residential temperatures during periods of extreme heat. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to establish standards, measurements, guidance, complaints and enforcement procedure. Covered commercial operations must conduct thermal impact assessments and maintain records of waste heat…

Public Health Impacts

Entergy to Build Three Gas Plants for Meta’s Biggest Data Center

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Public Health Impacts

‘I can’t drink the water’ – life next to a US data centre

Environmental Impacts, Public Health Impacts

To avoid an AI data-center bubble, Washington must change how it works with US states – Atlantic Council

The US Senate's recent vote against a moratorium on state-level AI regulation highlights the need for improved coordination between federal and state governments regarding AI infrastructure. Local opposition has already delayed significant data center projects, complicating efforts to maintain US leadership in AI. The rapid expansion of data centers poses risks of oversupply and increased…

AI-Specific Risk Analysis, Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Public Health Impacts

Tools and Resources | US EPA

The EPA provides resources related to cumulative impacts, including an Interim Framework for incorporating these considerations into programs, prioritizing cumulative impacts research to improve community health, and legal tools for advancing environmental justice. Key initiatives include guidance for NEPA document reviews and the EJScreen tool for assessing environmental concerns in neighborhoods.

Community & Social Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Public Health Impacts

The Environmental Justice Siting Law – NYSDEC

The Environmental Justice Siting Law requires consideration of pollution impacts on disadvantaged communities in environmental decision-making. It amends SEQRA and UPA regulations, mandating lead agencies to evaluate disproportionate pollution burdens and incorporate a new Disadvantaged Community Assessment Tool. The law also requires DEC to assess existing burdens during the permitting process for specific permits, ensuring…

Community & Social Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Public Health Impacts

Data Center Power Play | Union of Concerned Scientists

The U.S. electricity sector faces a surge in demand due to the growth of AI-driven data centers, with projections suggesting their electricity use could rise significantly. Current reliance on fossil fuels for power generation poses risks to climate goals and public health. Transitioning to clean energy sources like wind and solar, combined with battery storage,…

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Environmental Justice, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Public Health Impacts

Forum examines impacts of AI data centers in N.C.

Community & Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Grid & Infrastructure Impacts, Human Rights & Labor Exploitation, Public Health Impacts

Impact Type: Public Health Impacts