Donald Beyer (D-VA)
Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 22 Democratic cosponsors · See all 22 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026 requires the EPA to study the environmental and energy effects of AI data centers and related infrastructure. It mandates the creation of a consortium by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop measurement standards and reporting methods. AI data center operators must submit annual reports to the EPA regarding their resource consumption and pollution. The bill also requires public hearings and the solicitation of public comments during the study process. Finally, the government must provide a joint report to Congress with recommendations to mitigate negative AI impacts.
Yes· 3 of 22
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Requires the public availability of AI environmental impact data on a government website.
- Scored +6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Requires reporting on air/water pollution and creates a system to mitigate negative AI impacts.
- Scored +6
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?
Imposes annual environmental reporting and potential penalties on large AI data center operators.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Increases compliance costs and reporting burdens for AI data center operators.
- Scored -2
Would billionaires be better off under this?
Increases regulatory oversight on the hyperscale facilities often owned by the wealthiest tech figures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency: The bill requires the EPA to make reported environmental impact information available on a public website, allowing people to see the effects of AI data centers (Section 6(d)).
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Environmental Protection: The study examines impacts on air and water quality, local ecosystems, and the protection of scenic, historical, and cultural landscapes (Section 4(b)(1)).
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Promotion of Green AI: The act seeks to identify and deploy positive AI use-cases, such as optimizing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy, and monitoring environmental changes (Section 4(b)(4) and Section 7(4)).
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Community Representation: The consortium must include representatives from Indian Tribes, local governments, and civil society to ensure diverse perspectives on environmental needs (Section 5(a)).
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Accountability for Polluters: The EPA is authorized to seek corrective action and issue administrative penalties for covered entities that fail to comply with reporting requirements (Section 6(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Rising Electricity Costs: The bill's findings note that electricity prices have already risen significantly due to data center growth and are projected to continue rising rapidly (Section 2(7)).
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Increased Resource Strain: The text highlights that data center infrastructure can contribute to water scarcity and increased energy demand (Section 2(4)).
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Health and Environmental Risks: The bill identifies that increasing electronic waste from outdated AI hardware poses risks to human health and the environment (Section 2(10)).
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Disparate Community Burdens: Low-income, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and rural communities are identified as being at greater risk from cumulative negative impacts and higher energy costs (Section 2(12)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly includes Tribal communities in the consortium and protects Tribal lands. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Targets the reduction of cumulative negative environmental impacts on Black communities. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Targets the reduction of cumulative negative environmental impacts on Brown communities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Seeks to mitigate higher energy costs and environmental burdens disproportionately affecting low-income areas. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Protects rural lands and addresses higher energy cost risks in these regions. Would children be better off under this? — Reduces long-term environmental and health risks from e-waste and pollution. Would farmers be better off under this? — Addresses water scarcity and land-use issues caused by data centers. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Reduces local noise and light pollution in urban data center hubs. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Promotes a more sustainable technological future through Green AI. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increases compliance costs and reporting burdens for AI data center operators. Would billionaires be better off under this? — Increases regulatory oversight on the hyperscale facilities often owned by the wealthiest tech figures.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Requires reporting on air/water pollution and creates a system to mitigate negative AI impacts. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Protects scenic, historical, and cultural landscapes from data center land-use changes. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Mandates studies and recommendations to mitigate AI's greenhouse gas emissions. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — Studies AI data centers' impacts on disaster resilience during extreme weather events. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — Promotes AI use-cases for developing renewable energy and optimizing energy efficiency. Does this invest in rural communities? — Addresses the specific environmental and energy risks faced by rural communities. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — Identifies the acceleration of high-pollution activities like fossil fuel extraction as a negative AI impact to be studied.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires the public availability of AI environmental impact data on a government website. Does this give the federal government more power? — Expands EPA authority to mandate reporting and issue penalties for data center operators.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — Imposes annual environmental reporting and potential penalties on large AI data center operators. Does this put more money into scientific research? — Funds comprehensive studies and the creation of a NIST consortium for environmental metrics.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Specifically identifies and seeks to mitigate disparate burdens on Black and Brown communities from AI infrastructure.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — Increases transparency regarding the environmental costs of AI services used by consumers.
- 10/5/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/6/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/29/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/25/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/23/2026
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- 6/15/2026
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- 6/8/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Nanette BarragánDemocrat · California
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Sean CastenDemocrat · Illinois
Jasmine CrockettDemocrat · Texas
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Adriano EspaillatDemocrat · New York
John GaramendiDemocrat · California
Daniel GoldmanDemocrat · New York
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Jared HuffmanDemocrat · California
Mike LevinDemocrat · California
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Bradley SchneiderDemocrat · Illinois
Mary Gay ScanlonDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Hillary ScholtenDemocrat · Michigan
Andrea SalinasDemocrat · Oregon
Suhas SubramanyamDemocrat · Virginia
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan