Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9183
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-08: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:05:55Z
AI-Generated Summary
Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026 (H.R. 9183)
Purpose This legislation establishes requirements for federal agencies to examine, measure, and report the environmental and energy-related effects of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and associated infrastructure. It aims to promote transparency, develop standards for impact assessment, and support mitigation of negative effects while identifying positive applications.
Key Provisions
- Study Requirement: Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, in collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Office of Science and Technology Policy, Department of the Interior, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to complete a comprehensive study within one year. The study must cover full lifecycle impacts (including hardware manufacturing, data center operations, water use, emissions, land use, and e-waste), design and location factors, disaster resilience, positive and negative effects of AI applications, and forecasts for 2-, 5-, and 10-year periods. It mandates public comments and regional public hearings.
- Consortium Establishment: Requires the NIST Director to convene a stakeholder consortium (with equal representation from Indian Tribes, local governments, academia, civil society, and industry, including at least three representatives each from affected Tribal communities and localities) to identify measurements, methodologies, standards, and tools for reporting AI environmental impacts. Goals include consistent reporting, open-source resources, and mitigation recommendations.
- Reporting System: Mandates that operators of AI data centers (facilities exceeding 50 megawatts focused on AI training, inference, or deployment) submit annual reports to the EPA detailing energy and water use, pollution, e-waste, and other impacts. The EPA must develop reporting guidelines in consultation with NIST, DOE, and the consortium, solicit public comments, ensure verifiability, and make data publicly available (with limited exemptions). Noncompliance may result in administrative penalties based on facility size and duration.
- Congressional Report: Requires a joint report to Congress within two years of finalizing reporting requirements, covering consortium findings, reported data, and recommendations for legislative or administrative actions, including net-benefit AI use cases for environmental applications.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces new federal mandates without directly amending core statutes. It builds on references to the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (for AI definitions) and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (for data center studies) by creating original obligations for EPA-led studies, NIST consortia, and mandatory industry reporting systems. It adds enforcement mechanisms and public disclosure requirements not previously specified for AI infrastructure.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases coordination among EPA, DOE, NIST, and other entities for research and oversight; requires development of new reporting infrastructure and guidelines.
- Citizens and Communities: Enhances public access to data on energy costs, pollution, and resource use near data centers, with emphasis on regional and vulnerable areas; may influence local energy prices and environmental conditions.
- Industry and Infrastructure: Imposes annual compliance costs on AI data center operators for reporting and potential mitigation; could affect site selection, design, and energy sourcing decisions.
- International Relations: No direct provisions; focuses solely on domestic federal actions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies (EPA, DOE, NIST, and collaborators).
- AI data center operators and related industry entities.
- Indian Tribes, local governments, academia, civil society, and industry representatives in the consortium.
- Communities near data centers, including low-income, minority, Indigenous, and rural populations.
- The general public, through comment periods, hearings, and data access.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill emphasizes administrative enforcement through corrective actions and penalties, with safeguards for proprietary information under existing disclosure laws like the Freedom of Information Act. It raises no apparent constitutional concerns, operating within Congress's authority over environmental and energy regulation. Politically, it prioritizes transparency and data-driven approaches to balance AI growth with environmental concerns, without restricting AI development.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Cosponsors (18)
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-08: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-06-08: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-06-08: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-08: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-08 — PDF (16 pages)