Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
Data Center Transparency Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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 is called the Data Center Transparency Act of 2026. It requires regular reports on how large data centers affect our air quality, water quality, and electricity use. A data center is defined in the bill as one that uses at least 50 megawatts each day. The Environmental Protection Agency must report on water and air impacts every three months. The Energy Information Administration must report on electricity consumption at least twice a year. All of these reports must be given to Congress and put on a public website.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates that federal agencies regularly report and publicly publish data on the environmental and energy impacts of large data centers.
- Scored +5
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?
The bill establishes strict transparency and reporting requirements for large data centers regarding their energy and water use.
- Scored +4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
By tracking changes in household utility and energy bills, the legislation helps protect low-income households from unexpected utility cost spikes driven by data centers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(b) requires the Environmental Protection Agency to report on air and water quality effects, including water consumption, water reuse, and pollutants discharged. This is positive because it gives the public clear information on how these facilities impact local water systems and whether they affect the availability of drinking water.
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Section 2(b)(3)(D) requires reports to track any changes in residential rates for water services. This is a positive provision because it helps everyday people see if data centers are driving up the cost of their household water bills.
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Section 2(c)(2)(D) and Section 2(c)(2)(E) require reports on how household energy bills may have changed and show the average household energy use and cost. This is beneficial because it allows citizens and our elected officials to hold companies accountable if data centers cause residential electricity prices to spike.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not explicitly identify any negative consequences, burdens, or provisions that would harm individuals or groups of people.
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.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates that federal agencies regularly report and publicly publish data on the environmental and energy impacts of large data centers. Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation expands federal oversight by requiring federal agencies to regularly collect and publish detailed data on commercial facilities.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — By tracking changes in household utility and energy bills, the legislation helps protect low-income households from unexpected utility cost spikes driven by data centers. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill requires monitoring of residential water and energy costs to ensure middle-class households are not unfairly burdened by data center resource consumption.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill mandates frequent reporting by the EPA on water consumption, pollutants discharged, and air quality effects related to large data centers. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill requires regular reports on greenhouse gas emissions from large data centers, increasing transparency around their climate impact.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — The bill establishes strict transparency and reporting requirements for large data centers regarding their energy and water use.
- 9/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
John CurtisRepublican · Utah