Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Introduced
Summary
Would create a federal framework to measure and publicly disclose the environmental and energy impacts of artificial intelligence and AI data centers. It would require a one-year EPA-led study, a multi-stakeholder standards consortium, and annual reporting with public disclosure and enforcement.
Show full summary
- Communities near data centers would see new, publicly available data on energy use, water, pollution, electronic waste, noise, light, and other environmental impacts. This aims to help local planning and oversight.
- Operators of AI data centers would have to submit annual reports to the Environmental Protection Agency and could face penalties for noncompliance. Reporting content would be developed with federal agencies and the consortium.
- Indian Tribes, local governments, academia, civil society, and industry would join a National Institute of Standards and Technology–convened consortium to set measurement needs, methods, and standards and consider open-source tools.
- Federal agencies and researchers would get a consolidated report within two years after reporting rules are set summarizing findings, mitigation recommendations, and beneficial AI use cases for environmental work.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Federal AI environmental study and report
If enacted, the EPA would lead a public study on AI environmental and energy impacts and publish the results to Congress within one year. The study would include 2-, 5-, and 10-year forecasts and look at lifecycle effects like energy, water, pollution, land use, cooling, and greenhouse gases. The EPA would hold public hearings in each EPA region and collect public comments while preparing the study. After reporting rules are set, EPA, Energy, and NIST would jointly send Congress a consolidated report summarizing findings and recommending actions no later than two years after the EPA finalizes reporting requirements.
Stakeholder consortium for AI impacts
If enacted, NIST would convene a stakeholder consortium with EPA and the Energy Department to set measurement needs, methods, and standards for AI environmental and energy impacts. The group must include tribes, local governments, academia, civil society, and industry and ensure equal representation across stakeholder groups. The consortium must include at least three representatives each from geographically distinct Tribal communities and three from distinct cities or counties with AI data centers. The group would help identify open-source tools and recommend ways to measure, report, and reduce harms.
New reporting rules for AI centers
If enacted, the bill would define an "artificial intelligence data center" as any single or connected site with peak power over 50 megawatts that runs large-scale AI training or inference. Operators of those centers would be covered entities required to file annual reports with EPA when the EPA finalizes reporting rules. Reports would cover energy, water, pollution, electronic waste, noise and light, and other impacts, and the EPA would make reported data public where allowed. EPA must consult NIST, DOE, and the consortium when writing rules, seek corrective action for noncompliance, and may impose administrative penalties if no report is filed within six months of a due date.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Barragan, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/15/2026
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/15/2026
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/15/2026
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov