Data Center Transparency Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5640 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5640

 To require reports on the effects of data centers on air quality and 
     water quality, and on electricity consumption by data centers.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 30, 2026

    Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself and Mr. Curtis) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                      Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To require reports on the effects of data centers on air quality and 
     water quality, and on electricity consumption by data centers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Data Center Transparency Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. REPORTS ON THE EFFECTS OF DATA CENTERS ON AIR QUALITY AND WATER 
              QUALITY; REPORTS ON ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BY DATA 
              CENTERS.

    (a) Data Center Defined.--In this section, the term ``data center'' 
means a data center (as defined in section 453(a) of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17112(a))) that 
consumes not less than 50 megawatts each day.
    (b) Reports on the Effects of Data Centers on Air Quality and Water 
Quality.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, and not less frequently than once every 3 months thereafter, the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall submit to 
Congress, and make publicly available on a website, a report that 
identifies, with respect to the period of 3 months preceding the 
submission and publication of the report--
            (1) the total amount of water consumed by data centers 
        located in the United States;
            (2) how those data centers reuse water, and the amount of 
        such reused water;
            (3) how those data centers affect local water systems, 
        including with respect to--
                    (A) the availability of potable water;
                    (B) whether the data center increased demand on 
                local water utilities;
                    (C) any potential data on service disruptions for 
                other customers of local water utilities;
                    (D) any changes in residential rates for water 
                services; and
                    (E) the type and amount of pollutants (as defined 
                in section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
                Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) discharged into water by data 
                centers;
            (4) the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted from those 
        data centers; and
            (5) the effect of those greenhouse gas emissions, including 
        the cumulative effect on overburdened communities.
    (c) Reports on Electricity Consumption by Data Centers.--
            (1) Collection of data.--The Administrator of the Energy 
        Information Administration shall collect data on--
                    (A) the total quantity of energy consumed by each 
                data center located in the United States, including the 
                total quantity consumed by each data center in 
                consecutive 6-month periods; and
                    (B) energy grid buildout relating to data centers, 
                including the types of energy being built out.
            (2) Reports.--Not less frequently than twice each year, the 
        Administrator of the Energy Information Administration shall 
        submit to Congress, and make publicly available on a website, a 
        report that describes, with respect to the most recent 6-month 
        period preceding the submission and publication of the report--
                    (A) the total quantity of energy consumed by data 
                centers located in the United States, disaggregated by 
                State;
                    (B) how that energy consumption may have changed 
                during that 6-month period;
                    (C) the number of data centers that began operating 
                during that 6-month period;
                    (D) how household energy bills may have changed 
                during that 6-month period; and
                    (E) the average household energy use and cost.
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