U.S. Lawmaker Proposes ‘Data Center Bill of Rights’ to Give Local Communities Veto Power
Resolution introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna seeks to protect municipal authority, establish 2,500-foot buffer zones, and cap electricity rates.
U.S. Representative Ro Khanna has introduced a House of Representatives resolution advocating for a “Data Center Bill of Rights” to guarantee local communities the legal authority to reject data center projects and shield residents from rising power costs.
The measure by the California Democrat seeks to ensure local municipalities can block data center development in residential zones and mandate minimum 2,500-foot buffer zones around homes, schools, childcare facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes without being preempted by state or federal authorities.
Under the resolution, local governments would also gain explicit powers to demand operational transparency, prevent increases in residential electricity rates tied to infrastructure buildouts, and require facility operators to transition to clean energy.
The proposal comes amid mounting scrutiny over the environmental footprint of rapid technological expansion. Projections show AI data centers could consume up to 32 billion gallons of water annually by 2028 to cool high-density server equipment, while heavy reliance on backup turbines and diesel generators threatens local air quality.
Khanna’s framework marks a direct response to federal moves aimed at exempting server infrastructure from standard environmental regulations and preempting local oversight. The push aligns with growing grassroots pushback across the United States, which recently led New York to institute a one-year moratorium on data center construction.
