The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to advance the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would make states weigh whether data centers must pay for the grid upgrades they trigger. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the sites should not go where locals object. Trump kept promoting the industry.
Polling released Sep. 1 found 70% of Americans oppose a data center near them, including 76% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans. Trump said towns that block them give up jobs, tax revenue and growth.
Also in the file
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said data centers do not use water, against community complaints about their consumption.
- Annualized real data-center investment in Q2 2026 was nearly four times its 2022 level, while other private structures investment fell 5% from 2022, per Ernie Tedeschi.