Fetterman pushes back on data center and AI 'doomsdaying'
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) took to social media on Saturday to underscore his stance on data centers, days after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) signed an executive order restricting their development in the state. In a post on X, Fetterman wrote: "AI supremacy and energy dominance underpins our national security." He added: "China continues to fuel and benefit from our overreaction. I reject the political pandering and hyperbole over data centers or AI doomsdaying."
Fetterman's remarks come as debates over data center construction intensify across the country, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle taking positions on the infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence models.
A wave of state-level restrictions
More than a dozen states have considered moratoria on data centers, according to The Guardian. New York became the first US state to enact a temporary ban last month, when Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) signed a one-year, statewide moratorium on data center development, as reported by the Washington Examiner. Fetterman reacted to Hochul's announcement by saying "China wins."
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) called for an audit of new data center developments on Aug. 3. Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers told the Detroit News this week that he supports a one-year data center moratorium. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), the Republican nominee for governor in Wisconsin, has called his opponent David Crowley "Data Center David Crowley."
At the federal level, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have proposed a national moratorium on data centers. The Washington Examiner reported that Fetterman said "this must not happen" after Sanders sent a letter to CEOs of AI companies calling for a pause in further industry development. Fetterman also said: "America must lead in the development of AI, otherwise we live under China's rules."
Public opposition and economic concerns
Public sentiment appears to be turning against data centers. A major poll conducted in May found that seven out of 10 Americans are opposed to the construction of data centers for AI in their area, with 48% strongly opposed, according to The Guardian. About one-fifth of participants cited possible negative financial consequences, including potential higher utility bills, as a reason for their opposition.
Environmental concerns over water usage and toxic contamination, as well as worries about the kind of society that AI technologies might create, are also fueling alarm about data centers, The Guardian reported. But the most politically potent objection may be economic: data centers require enormous amounts of electricity, and increased demand can drive up utility bills.
In June, US electricity prices were up 4% from a year earlier, outpacing inflation, according to The Guardian.
The Trump administration's response
The Trump administration has sought to balance its goal of making the US the world leader in AI with its promise to lower electricity bills. Last month, it announced the "Ratepayer Protection Pledge," a voluntary agreement that asks data center developers and AI firms to cover the costs of the electricity they use and new infrastructure. Nearly 200 companies, utilities, data center developers, and states have signed onto the pledge, The Guardian reported.
However, critics say the pledge has no teeth and is not legally binding. Patrick Drupp, climate policy director at the Sierra Club, called it a "paper-thin commitment." Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, described the announcement as a "photo op with big tech."
President Trump's defense
President Donald Trump defended data center construction on Friday, citing local job creation and tax benefits. "If you pick the right location, and it's going to be not every location is perfect for it, but if you pick the right location, what it means for a community is jobs and lots of money and lower taxes," Trump said, as reported by the Washington Examiner.
The debate over data centers is likely to continue as states and the federal government grapple with the competing demands of technological leadership, environmental protection, and consumer costs.