Edward Markey (D-MA)
Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
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
This bill requires the federal government to study how artificial intelligence data centers and their energy sources impact the environment. It sets up a special consortium to figure out the best ways to measure these environmental effects. Companies that run large artificial intelligence data centers must report their energy and resource use to the Environmental Protection Agency every year. The bill also makes these reports available for the public to view online. Finally, it creates penalties for data center operators that fail to follow the annual reporting rules.
Yes· 3 of 15
- Scored +8
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
It requires comprehensive environmental data from data centers to be publicly disclosed on an accessible website.
- Scored +7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
It establishes robust transparency and reporting requirements regarding environmental impacts like pollution and water use.
- Scored +6
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
The bill mandates studies and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption associated with AI data centers.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Would business owners be better off under this?
Covered data center operators face increased compliance burdens and potential administrative penalties.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Public Awareness and Transparency: Under Section 6, data center operators must annually report their resource consumption, pollution, and other environmental impacts to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Administrator must then make this information available on a publicly accessible website, which gives everyday people clear insight into how these massive facilities affect their local environment.
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Community Input: Section 4 requires the Environmental Protection Agency to hold public hearings in every region of the agency to capture unique local considerations regarding artificial intelligence impacts. Additionally, Section 5 ensures that local government representatives, civil society members, and specific representatives from impacted Tribal communities and local cities or counties have a direct voice in the newly formed advisory consortium.
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Identifying Solutions: Section 5 creates a consortium tasked with providing recommendations on how to mitigate negative environmental impacts and successfully deploy positive uses of artificial intelligence, such as optimizing systems for energy efficiency or developing renewable energy.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Bureaucratic Oversight and Compliance Burdens: Under Section 6, companies operating artificial intelligence data centers must comply with complex reporting requirements regarding energy use, water use, air and water pollution, electronic waste, and noise and light pollution. Meeting these intensive federal guidelines could create administrative and financial burdens for the entities involved.
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Financial Penalties: Section 6 allows the Administrator to issue administrative penalties against covered entities that fail to submit their required environmental reports within six months of the due date. These penalties are determined based on the total size of the applicable facilities and the length of noncompliance.
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.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — It establishes robust transparency and reporting requirements regarding environmental impacts like pollution and water use. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill mandates studies and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption associated with AI data centers. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — The legislation encourages recommendations for deploying positive uses of AI such as developing renewable energy. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The study requirements examine data center impacts on land use, particularly historic, cultural, and park landscapes. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill explicitly includes rural communities in its assessment of disparate impacts and consortium representation.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income communities often face disproportionate environmental burdens from data centers, which this bill seeks to address. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill mandates representation from Indigenous communities on the advisory consortium. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The legislation explicitly acknowledges and aims to mitigate disparate environmental risks facing Black and Brown communities. Would children be better off under this? — Children benefit broadly from improved long-term environmental protections and reduced pollution. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The legislation explicitly acknowledges and aims to mitigate disparate environmental risks facing Black and Brown communities. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural communities hosting data infrastructure are specifically included in public hearings and consortium discussions. Would business owners be better off under this? — Covered data center operators face increased compliance burdens and potential administrative penalties.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — It requires comprehensive environmental data from data centers to be publicly disclosed on an accessible website. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal oversight by tasking the EPA and NIST with new reporting requirements and enforcement powers.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — It imposes mandatory environmental reporting and penalties on large artificial intelligence data center operators.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill considers disparate environmental impacts on Black and Brown communities.
- 6/9/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont