This bill directs the Secretary of Energy, working with the EPA Administrator, the Secretary of Commerce, the Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Council on Environmental Quality, to conduct a study on how data centers affect communities of color and low-income communities. The study must examine water use, energy use (including fossil fuel sources and grid peak impacts), air quality (including emissions from backup diesel generators), land use and soil impacts, effects on wastewater from cooling, job creation and displacement, state and local tax revenue and incentives, nearby residential property values, and public health risks like pollution and heat. The Secretary must consult local government entities and Indian Tribes and deliver a report to Congress within 18 months. The report must include an assessment of findings, a map showing data center locations relative to communities of color and low-income communities, recommendations for federal coordination to reduce harms, and best-practice guidelines for states and local governments.
No publicly available information.
Supporters say data centers use growing amounts of electricity and water, can affect air and water quality, and may add burdens to communities already facing pollution and economic stress. The bill’s findings note rising energy and water use for data centers, examples of community concern, and a federal duty to evaluate new sources of environmental and energy impacts under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
No publicly available information.