Data Centers A Driving Force Behind Bipartisan Permitting Reform

Even as partisan rifts define Washington, lawmakers have found a rare motivator for bipartisan collaboration: data centers. Lawmakers from both parties believe the proliferation of data centers and development of the artificial intelligence they power will determine U.S. economic competitiveness and national security for decades.

Congressional leaders are hoping to capitalize on this bipartisan agreement to push through federal energy project permitting reform legislation, which has failed to gain the necessary support in recent years. Lawmakers and interest groups alike view energy permitting reform as key to the continued growth of the data center industry. A deal would reshape the regulatory landscape, providing significant opportunity and risk for data center operators and energy producers.