U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam, D-Virginia, introduced a National Data Center Plan September 8, 2026.
A press release from his office said the four bills to guide data center development include the Responsible Data Center Siting Act, the Data Center Fair Share Act, the Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act, and the Data Infrastructure Risk Reduction Act.
The package requires data centers to pay for their own energy, evaluate the cumulative impacts on communities, the environment, and national security before building data centers, accurately measure water and energy usage, and protect Americans living near data infrastructure.
“Our region is home to the fourth largest concentration of data centers in the world, and many more are on the way. Because of this, our utility bills are up and transmission lines are cutting through our schools and backyards,” Subramanyam is quoted saying in the press release. “People are concerned about the future of our community and angry about the impact this will have on noise, the environment, and their property. The approach to building data centers has been driven by short-term profit rather than long term planning,” he contends.
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“But it doesn’t have to be this way. We need a national plan that puts communities first rather than the current ad hoc approach. That’s why I am pushing this legislation forward: to give Virginians and the American people a voice,” said Congressman Suhas Subramanyam.
Elena Schlossberg, the Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, said her organization had been warning the County about the unprecedented power demands of the data center industry, since 2014. She praised Rep. Subramanyam’s National Data Center Plan saying it “is a needed step in the right direction to protect residents, our environment, and our grid from irresponsible development.”
“This bill is a welcome and necessary step to create meaningful protections for consumers,” said Karim D. Marshall, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the Consumer Federation of America.