Rep. Thompson Unveils Bill to Protect Farms from Eminent Domain as Data Center Debate Intensifies
Congressman Glenn Thompson introduced the "Not in My Barnyard Act," a federal bill aimed at protecting agricultural land from eminent domain proceedings, especially in the context of data center development. The bill comes amidst an intensifying political debate in Washington over artificial intelligence and data centers, with differing views on their economic impact and land use.
The political debate surrounding artificial intelligence and data centers is escalating in Washington, with President Trump advocating for communities to embrace them, while Democrats accuse Republicans of unduly favoring data center developers through business growth initiatives. WENY Washington correspondent Brendan Scanlon reported on these developments, including a new bill designed to protect agricultural land from eminent domain.
President Trump stated on Truth Social that communities rejecting data centers risk becoming "backwards and poor," a sentiment echoed by some, who argue that the U.S. must lead in AI development. This global race and the demand for data centers to power AI have fueled debates across the country and on Capitol Hill, just two months before the midterms. Republicans generally support data center development.
Democrats have criticized Republicans for a tax provision in a previous act that supports opportunity zones, arguing it's being used to green-light data center developers, and that House Republicans voted to preempt state and local authorities from regulating data centers. Critics counter that opportunity zones were not intended to exclusively support one industry. Congressman Glenn Thompson believes data centers should be embraced, but with necessary safeguards to prevent corporations and private equity investors from dictating terms without community input.
Thompson, whose district encompasses a significant portion of Pennsylvania's farmland, recently introduced the "Not in My Barnyard Act." This bill aims to protect agricultural land from federal eminent domain proceedings when feasible alternatives exist. Historically, eminent domain has been used for infrastructure like highways and railways, but with data centers and their associated infrastructure now part of this debate, Thompson's bill seeks to provide a "road show to protection" for prime farmlands.