Reining in data centers sparks rare bipartisanship in statehouses

Reining in data centers sparks rare bipartisanship in statehouses

News ClipNBC News·MS·3/14/2026

State legislators from both parties are rushing to regulate the construction and energy consumption of data centers fueling the AI boom. Proposals range from moratoriums on new data center construction to requirements for reporting energy and water usage, as well as cutting tax incentives. The issue has become a bipartisan priority driven by concerns over rising utility costs and the environmental impacts of data centers.

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Gov: Southaven, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Virginia DEQ, Georgia
With voters wary of AI and both parties’ ability to tackle it, the issue has not fallen along usual partisan lines, even in an election year.