House Introduces Bill Banning AI Data Centers on Federal Lands

The United States House of Representatives introduced the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act (H.R. 9939), a bill designed to permanently prohibit large AI data centers and their supporting infrastructure on land owned or managed by the U.S. government. The proposed ban extends to all federal properties, including military bases.

If passed, the legislation would mandate the removal of existing qualifying AI data centers from federal land and require full site remediation. Proponents of the bill argue that these facilities cause significant environmental damage, consume excessive amounts of water, and create severe negative impacts on local communities.

Legislative efforts accompanying the bill's introduction include calls for members of the House, such as Representative Rob Bresnahan, to vote in favor of the ban to protect federal resources from the industrial footprint of artificial intelligence infrastructure.