US Govt quietly plans to allow rule describing standards for federal data center use and operations, known as the Federal Data Center Improvement Act (FDCEA), according to sources who spoke to WIRED. Neither Congress nor the Trump administration appear to be taking significant steps to protect or expand the rule, or to introduce alternative plans.
Data centers have become a hot button problem in recent months, as the tech industry goes all-in on artificial intelligence and more infrastructure necessary power this. According to A Gallup poll as of May, more than 70 percent of Americans oppose the construction of data centers, energy- and water-intensive buildings fueling the AI boom in their communities. From Utah to Georgiaresidents across the political spectrum came together to voice their opposition to the data center’s construction.
Despite the public backlash, the Office of Budget Management (OMB), the government agency that determines how agencies implement policies in line with the president’s agenda, has not provided any plans for how federal agencies should manage the measure or continue implementing reports beyond the law’s deadlines. Current and former OMB and General Services Administration (GSA) officials say it signals that the Trump administration intends to take an even more hands-off approach to overseeing and regulating data centers.
A replacement for the requirements set forth in the FDCEA was being developed in other administrations several months before the expiration date. An official at GSA, the agency that oversees government IT services and helps implement the FDCEA, says the absence of any plan is rare. The employee spoke to WIRED on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
“There has never been a policy in the history of data center policy that hasn’t been painstakingly worked on for three years behind the scenes,” says a GSA official. “Technology has changed so much that it’s not about getting it right, it’s about doing the best you can and moving to the new policy. They say they’re going to make sure private companies pay their share of the fare, but they haven’t explained how they’re going to do that.”
As the federal government continues to push agencies to adopt AI tools, the demand for data centers and other technical infrastructure will only grow. Electric Power Research Institute, a nonpartisan research organization, assessments that data centers could consume at least 9 percent of US electricity by 2030.
WIRED reached out to the offices of the three senators who originally sponsored the FDCEA about what, if any, plans they have to replace or restore the law.
A flurry of data center-related legislation has been introduced in Congress this year, from bills requiring environmental reviews of data centers to bills aimed at protect local moratoriums. However, none of these bills appear to be intended to implement FDCEA requirements, nor do they address federal or leased data centers.
“Data centers across the country store critical and sensitive information, and we must ensure they are protected from increased cyber threats and natural disasters,” Sen. Jackie Rosen, who sponsored the FDCEA when it passed in 2023, told WIRED in an emailed statement. “My team and I are aware that the Federal Data Center Improvement Act expires this fall, and we are considering all options to ensure the security of Americans’ personal information stored in data centers.” However, Rosen’s office did not specify what those plans are.