Congress demands data centers reveal their water and energy use
H.R. 10005 — Data Center Resource Disclosure Act · Filed by Hillary Scholten (D-MI) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 30, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires data centers to voluntarily report their annual energy and water consumption to the federal government. The Assistant Secretary of Commerce will publish the results on an interactive map, identify which data centers didn't respond, and submit recommendations to Congress on data center regulation and transparency. The survey happens once initially and then annually.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a voluntary survey and public disclosure requirement designed to increase transparency around data center resource consumption. It is fundamentally an information-gathering and accountability tool, not a regulatory or subsidy measure.
What the text implies
- Voluntary disclosure may create competitive pressure on non-respondents, potentially incentivizing participation even without legal mandate.
- Public mapping of data centers and their resource use could inform future state/local regulation, environmental litigation, or community opposition to new facilities.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill creates public transparency about resource consumption by major data centers—information citizens and regulators currently lack—without imposing mandatory compliance or penalties. Voluntary disclosure with public reporting enables informed policy-making and community oversight of resource-intensive infrastructure.