Protecting Local Control of Data Centers Act

Key Points

• This bill stops federal agencies from taking over local decisions about where data centers can be built. It ensures that cities and states keep their power to set rules for land use, zoning, and building permits for these facilities.
• The government would be banned from using federal money to pressure local leaders into giving up their control. Agencies cannot tell a town they will only get funding if they let a data center bypass local environmental or construction rules.
• This matters because data centers use huge amounts of electricity and water, which can strain local resources. By keeping control at the local level, residents have more say in how these massive buildings affect their neighborhoods and utility bills.
• The law applies to data centers built on non-federal land, meaning private property or land owned by states and cities. It does not change how the government manages its own federal property.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.