Mississippi River States Launch Effort to Protect Water Resources from AI Data Centers
Mayors from 10 Mississippi River states are planning to introduce legislation to protect the waterway from the water-intensive AI data center economy. The initiative aims to create freshwater protections similar to the Great Lakes Compact, which restricts water diversion from the basin. Several states have already agreed to move similar legislation forward, with the goal of creating a Mississippi River Compact to be taken to Congress.
Mayors from 10 states along the Mississippi River have announced a new plan to establish regulatory policies aimed at safeguarding America's largest waterway from the rapidly expanding AI data center economy. According to Mississippi Today, officials are working to create freshwater protections that would mirror the Great Lakes Compact, which prohibits water from being removed from the basin for unregulated purposes. This effort is driven by concerns over the indirect water usage of hyperscale data centers, which require significant electricity often generated by water-consuming power plants.
Louisiana state Rep. C. Travis Johnson emphasized the economic and environmental fragility of the region, noting that freshwater-intensive activities account for nearly 80 percent of Louisiana's economy. Mississippi state Sen. Derrick Simmons highlighted that the Mississippi River Basin supports almost 40 percent of the world's food supply and lacks the protections found in the Great Lakes, making its resources vulnerable amidst persistent droughts and intense heat.
Missouri was the first state along the Mississippi River to pass strict out-of-state water export regulations last year. Since then, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Louisiana have committed to advancing similar legislation. The proposed Mississippi River Compact would be presented to Congress for drafting and approval once three more states agree to move forward with comparable laws.