Five Democratic senators including Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote to President Joe Biden asking him to reconsider potential executive action that would fast-track data center construction by loosening environmental rules, according to a letter seen first by POLITICO.
The lawmakers wrote in the letter sent late Tuesday that data centers are “dramatically increasing” energy demand, leading to higher costs and higher emissions. Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Peter Welch of Vermont also signed the missive.
“Some of the world’s largest companies are leading the buildout of data centers and have demonstrated their ability to bring new clean energy onto the grid,” the lawmakers wrote. “We should not relieve them of that responsibility while passing higher energy costs on to working families who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment.
