Trump AI plan would “ramp up exploitation” of people and the environment, advocates warn
The Trump administration this week released a plan to fast-track the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in the US, delighting tech groups while alarming environmental advocates who point to the industry’s toxic emissions, high water usage and heavy reliance on fossil fuels. The “AI action plan,” released July 23 by the White House, calls for the development of new AI data centers – huge facilities that house AI computing infrastructure – to be waived from typical assessment requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, which determine a project’s environmental impact. The plan also proposes expediting environmental permitting for such data centers by streamlining or reducing regulations under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws.
Other data center water use news:
- High Country News (Paonia, Colo.): The West’s data centers suck (water and power)
- Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nev.): Nevada’s data center boom is a power, water conundrum
