Legislation introduced by a pair of bipartisan lawmakers would require the departments of Energy, Interior, and Agriculture to assess the impact of proposed artificial intelligence data centers on rural communities.
Reps. Jim Costa, D-Calif., and Blake Moore, R-Utah, introduced the Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act on Sept. 11, which aims to see how AI data centers planned by the Trump administration are leading to higher energy costs for Americans in rural communities.
“AI Data Centers are expanding rapidly and using more energy and water than entire cities. That energy demand is driving up utility costs for consumers,” said Rep. Costa in a statement. “My legislation ensures we take a hard look at how this growth impacts rural communities that are powering the AI industry, and make sure families aren’t left paying the price.”
The lawmaker continued, adding that “it’s important that rural communities are not left behind in the new opportunities that AI data centers will provide for agricultural sciences and an improved ability to compete in this modern era.”
Specifically, under the proposed legislation, the secretary of energy will designate a National Laboratory to evaluate what updates may be needed to existing infrastructure to support the development of AI data centers; impacts of data centers on energy costs, supply, reliability, and land and water use; and whether there are deficiencies in energy supply resources.
The report should also address whether using alternative energy sources would be feasible for AI data centers. Those sources, according to bill’s text, could include hydroelectric dams, solar farms, wind farms, solar and wind battery storage sites, and carbon capture facilities.
It also includes geothermal and nuclear energy sources, which have been championed as a significant source of power for AI data centers by the Trump administration.
The legislation follows priorities under the Trump administration to develop AI data centers in 48 states. In April, the Energy Department said it had identified 16 sites on land owned by the department that would be suitable to build data centers, with aims for construction to be completed by the end of 2027.
So far, four of those sites have been confirmed as locations where data centers and related energy infrastructure will be built.
“As a leader in both tech and energy innovation, Utah is a prime location for data centers and AI infrastructure,” Rep. Moore said in a statement. “Cementing our role as an innovation hub will require identifying rural areas ready for data expansion, streamlining permitting for new energy projects, and promoting the co-location of data centers with energy facilities.”