Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2026

This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and related energy infrastructure, directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to convene a consortium on these impacts, and requires the EPA to develop a reporting system for AI environmental impacts.

Sec. 3, Definitions: Defines key terms including "Administrator" (EPA Administrator), "artificial intelligence," "artificial intelligence data center" (facilities over 50 megawatts for AI inference, training, or deployment), "artificial intelligence model," and "artificial intelligence system."

Sec. 4, Study on environmental and energy-related impacts of AI: Requires the EPA Administrator, with other agencies, to conduct a comprehensive study within one year on AI's environmental and energy impacts. The study must examine full lifecycle impacts (energy, water, pollution, emissions), design and location effects, disaster resilience, positive and negative impacts, and updated data center study results. It also requires public comment and regional public hearings.

Sec. 5, AI environmental and energy-related impacts consortium: Directs the NIST Director to convene a stakeholder consortium (including Tribes, local governments, academia, civil society, and industry) to identify measurements, methodologies, and standards for measuring and reporting AI environmental impacts. Goals include facilitating consistent reporting, developing open-source tools, and recommending mitigation of negative impacts and deployment of positive uses.

Sec. 6, System for reporting of environmental and energy-related impacts of AI: Requires entities operating AI data centers to annually report their full environmental impacts to the EPA. The EPA must develop reporting requirements covering energy and water use, pollution, e-waste, and noise/light impacts. Reports must be publicly available (except for trade secrets), and the EPA can issue administrative penalties for noncompliance after six months.

Sec. 7, Report to Congress: Requires the EPA, Energy Secretary, and NIST Director to jointly submit a report to Congress within two years of completing the reporting requirements, detailing the consortium's findings, reported information, and recommendations for legislative or administrative action to mitigate negative AI impacts and promote beneficial AI uses.