Eight groups join Next 100 Coalition in urging safeguards as DOE pushes fast-track approval for data centers on federal lands
Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2025) - Eight organizations have joined the Next 100 Coalition – a national network focused on collaborative stewardship in public land management – in warning that a new federal initiative to build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure on federal lands could drive up Americans' utility bills, strain water resources, and introduce serious environmental and public health risks.
With a public comment deadline approaching on May 7, the Next 100 Coalition and allied organizations are urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to slow down and engage directly with communities that may be most affected.
The DOE recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) under President Trump's Executive Order 13859, Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence (February 11, 2019), seeking input on plans to fast-track the construction of AI data centers and related energy infrastructure at 16 DOE-managed sites across the country. The agency has signaled its intention to move quickly, calling for "rapid data center construction" before the end of 2025.
"This isn't about resisting technology, it's about making sure communities aren't left behind in the race for AI," said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition. "These existing sites are being considered for major new uses, but the process so far lacks clear safeguards."
The sign-on letter, endorsed by eight national and community-based organizations at the time of writing this release, asks the Department of Energy to extend the public comment period, engage directly with frontline communities and gather their input, and halt any expedited development until a full environmental review is completed.
This AI infrastructure push reflects a broader federal trend to accelerate permitting and reduce environmental oversight – a trend sharpened by a new directive from the Trump Administration. On April 15, 2025, the President signed a memorandum instructing federal agencies to accelerate environmental review processes and establish a Permitting Innovation Center to expedite infrastructure approvals.
The directive coincided with the President’s public support for domestic AI development, including a $500 billion investment by a California-based leader in AI chip technology. The President pledged on Truth Social that “all necessary permits will be expedited and quickly delivered” to this firm and other firms contributing to what he called the “Golden Age of America.”
"This is a land rush, dressed up as innovation," said Garcia Irlando. "AI infrastructure isn't neutral, it's an energy- and water-intensive industrial development that's being greenlit with almost no public scrutiny."
AI data centers are among the most resource-hungry facilities in the country, with some requiring several million gallons of water per day for cooling and drawing electricity loads comparable to a small city. A March 2025 report from Harvard Law School's Electricity Law Initiative, Extracting Profits from the Public, finds that utilities are increasingly offering discounted electricity rates to Big Tech companies, leaving the public to absorb the difference. The report reviewed nearly 50 regulatory proceedings and warns that utilities are prioritizing tech firms because they profit from infrastructure expansion, with everyday ratepayers left to bear the financial burden.
"Most Americans don't realize they may be subsidizing AI expansion through their energy and water bills," Garcia Irlando said. "That's a hidden cost shift. And one that families shouldn't have to absorb."
Some proposed sites may be paired with so-called "innovative" energy sources, including small modular nuclear reactors or fossil-fueled generation. While often promoted as forward-looking, these technologies raise serious concerns about air quality, hazardous waste, and long-term public safety, especially in communities already burdened by pollution, industrial activity, or legacy contamination.
Many of the sites under consideration are located near Tribal nations, waterways, or critical wildlife corridors and habitats. While the RFI is only an information-gathering step, it does not require environmental review, public transparency, or formal consultation with local communities or Tribal governments. Any future project would need to comply with laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), but no new standards or safeguards have been set at this stage.
The Coalition outlines five core principles that must be addressed before federal land is used for AI infrastructure:
- Public transparency on environmental, public health, and economic impacts
- Fair utility rate structures that don't shift corporate costs onto households
- Protection of water resources, especially in drought-prone areas and close to drinking water sources
- Pollution safeguards to keep high-risk energy and hazardous waste out of vulnerable communities
- Consultation and meaningful engagement with Tribal nations and local residents
The Next 100 Coalition and its partners emphasize that decisions about AI development should not come at the expense of public health, the climate, or environmental stewardship. "We're at a critical decision point," said Garcia Irlando, "If AI is going to shape the future, then the public must have a say in how, where, and why it's built. Because once these facilities are up, their impacts will last for decades. This is the moment to set clear rules that protect people, land, and resources."
The groups that have signed on to the letter are: Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life; Creation Justice Ministries; Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition; Healthy Ocean Coalition; League of Conservation Voters; Marshview Community Organic Farm; WildEarth Guardians; and Wildlife for All.
Scenic view of the Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado on a sunny day under a bright cloudy sky
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To access the letter, please click here. To arrange an interview with a representative from the Next 100 Coalition, please contact info@next100coalition.org or call (202) 505-3725.
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About the Next 100 Coalition
The Next 100 Coalition is a national network that collaborates, invests in leadership, and bridges strategies for thriving, healthy, nature-grounded communities for the next 100 years and beyond. The coalition advocates for policies and practices that reflect all American experiences, while protecting natural and cultural resources for future generations. Through leadership development, policy engagement, and community partnership, Next 100 works to shape a future where all people can see themselves reflected in—and benefit from—the stewardship of public lands and waters. For more information, visit www.next100coalition.org.
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