A group of House Democrats wants to mandate a federal study on the repercussions of data centers on nearby communities, adding to the congressional discussion about the artificial intelligence boom.
The “Data Center Community Impact Act,” introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) last week, would analyze the environmental, economic and public health impacts of data centers on surrounding residents with a focus on people of color and the poor.
“Infrastructure projects, like the AI data centers being built, are important to the success of industry and economic growth in this country, but we must first protect the health of people and the planet,” Coleman said. “Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods are often over-burdened and disproportionately impacted by large-scale infrastructure projects.”
Co-sponsors include Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Shri Thanedar of Michigan, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, Valerie Foushee of North Carolina, Steve Cohen of Tennessee, Rob Menendez of New Jersey and Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, and District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton.
