In a rare display of bipartisanship, the United States Senate has advanced a bill aimed at expediting the construction of new energy infrastructure and data centers across the country. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act received near-unanimous support from Republicans and over a dozen Democrats in a 73-25 vote on Monday. The legislation aims to address the growing demand for electricity by streamlining the permitting process for major energy projects, both clean and fossil fuel-based, reducing environmental review deadlines, and imposing restrictions on court challenges.
The bill also proposes that owners of energy-intensive data centers should shoulder the costs associated with powering their facilities. Rising electricity bills due to data centers' extensive use in powering artificial intelligence have sparked growing discontent among U.S. residents. The bill claims it will provide $19 billion in savings on residential electricity bills by 2040 and double the number of solar and wind projects connecting to the U.S. electric grid, with data centers paying $55 billion over the next decade for their power usage.
Despite these promises, environmental organizations have voiced opposition to the bill. They argue that it would facilitate the development of fossil fuels, weaken environmental laws, and make it harder for U.S. residents to challenge projects in their communities. The Climate Justice Alliance, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Western Environmental Law Center, among others, issued a joint statement in September expressing concern over the bill's potential impacts on health, the environment, energy costs, and rights, particularly for communities of color and lower-income neighborhoods already burdened by pollution and climate impacts.
The Democrats' midterm win could complicate the final passage of the legislation. Some within the party argue that the bill should be held until new Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate are sworn in early next year. Critics, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is set to become the body's new speaker in January, have expressed concerns that the bill falls short in several areas and may not adequately address the need for a clean energy economy and climate crisis mitigation efforts.