Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Raises Environmental Concerns Over Trump's AI Action Plan

MTG: Trump's AI order ignores 'massive' water usage of data centers

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) voiced concerns Thursday about President Trump's push to build out artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, warning about the "massive" water usage of data centers. Trump laid out his approach to the technology in his AI Action Plan on Wednesday and signed three executive orders aimed at delivering on portions of the plan, including fast-tracking data center construction, boosting the export of American AI and barring "woke" AI in federal contracting. "I have many concerns about the AI Executive Order signed yesterday by President Trump," Greene wrote in a lengthy post on X. "While I understand the many promised benefits of AI, I remain committed to protecting state rights, human jobs, human lives, human rights, our environment and critical water supply." While Greene mentions a singular executive order, she appears be referring to both the broader AI framework, as well as the orders signed by the president. Under the AI Action Plan, the administration calls for exempting "data center-related actions" from environmental review. It also seeks to fast-track data center and energy projects under the nation's permitting system, while considering a nationwide permit to allow these projects to move forward despite potential water quality impacts. "Rushed AI expansion and data centers being built all over the country from state to state with no plan in regards to environmental and critical water supply impact has massive future implications and problems," Greene said. AI requires a vast amount of power, which is why the Trump administration is pushing to expand the nation's data center and energy infrastructure. However, these data centers also require water for cooling. "I've been in construction my entire life," Greene added. "I can tell you firsthand, when you move dirt there is always an impact to the surrounding area. When you build something that requires a HIGH water demand, it will always take water away from others - that means people, cities, businesses, and surrounding counties and states." The Georgia Republican also took issue with the AI plan's push to roll back regulations on AI, particularly at the state level. The administration calls for limiting federal funding to states whose AI regulations are deemed too onerous and directs the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate whether state AI rules interfere with its mandate. "My deep concerns are that the EO demands rapid AI expansion with little to no guardrails and breaks," she said. She compared the restrictions on federal funding to an AI provision that was ultimately removed from Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which he signed into law earlier this month. The provision sought to bar states from regulating AI for 10 years by withholding federal funds. Greene opposed the AI moratorium, which was removed from the bill by a 99-1 vote in the Senate. "Competing with China does not mean become like China by threatening state rights, replacing human jobs on mass scale creating mass poverty, and creating potentially devastating effects on our environment and critical water supply," she added. "This needs a careful and wise approach. The AI EO takes the opposite."

Marjorie Taylor Greene Raises 'Deep Concerns' Over Environmental Devastation In Trump's AI Action Plan: 'Competing With China Does Not Mean...' - Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE), Oracle (NYSE:ORCL)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has expressed apprehensions about the environmental impact of President Donald Trump's AI infrastructure plan. What Happened: Greene, in a post on social media platform X, voiced concerns about the "massive" water usage of data centers on Thursday. She raised these concerns in response to Trump's AI Action Plan, which was unveiled on Wednesday. "Rushed AI expansion and data centers being built all over the country from state to state with no plan in regards to environmental and critical water supply impact has massive future implications and problems," Greene said. The AI Action Plan aims to exempt "data center-related actions" from environmental review and place data center and energy projects on fast-track under the nation's permitting system. This could potentially lead to water quality impacts. My deep concerns are that the EO demands rapid AI expansion with little to no guardrails and breaks. Greene, who has a background in construction, highlighted the potential impact on the environment and water supply, emphasizing the need for a "careful and wise approach." She criticized the plan for rolling back AI regulations, especially at the state level, noting it would restrict federal funding to states with strict AI laws and task the FCC with reviewing whether those laws conflict with its authority. Greene signed off saying "Competing with China does not mean become like China by threatening state rights, replacing human jobs on mass scale creating mass poverty, and creating potentially devastating effects on our environment and critical water supply." SEE ALSO: Joe Rogan Says Most Americans Are One Catastrophe Away From Losing Everything, Says AI And UBI Income Will Bring Chaos And Addiction Why It Matters: The AI Action Plan's focus on fast-tracking data center construction and promoting American AI exports has been a topic of contention. President Trump's signed the executive orders, emphasizing the need for AI dominance and gain an edge over China. However, the environmental impact of these data centers has been a growing concern. Elon Musk's xAI has faced backlash from environmental groups over its Memphis data center's gas-burning turbine permit. The company later unveiled a 'sustainable' way to cool its data center, but the controversy highlights the environmental challenges associated with AI infrastructure. Against this backdrop, companies like Bloom Energy BE have been lauded for their sustainable power solutions for AI data centers. Shares of Bloom Energy Corp soared on Thursday, hitting a 52-week high following the announcement of a partnership with Oracle Corp. ORCL Under the agreement, Bloom will deploy its proprietary fuel cell technology to supply onsite power for select Oracle Cloud Infrastructure data centers across the U.S. READ MORE: Marjorie Taylor Greene Increases These 2 Stocks In Portfolio, Including This AI Name Up Over 100% YTD Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. BEBloom Energy Corp$33.842.36%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum93.93Growth99.19QualityN/AValue9.86Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewORCLOracle Corp$242.80-0.01%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs