Senate Proposal Threatens Penalties for Energy-Hungry Crypto and AI Infrastructure
A U.S. Senate proposal could significantly impact crypto mining and AI infrastructure if passed.
The Clean Cloud Act, introduced by Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman, aims to set emissions limits and financial penalties on data centers that exceed federally set environmental benchmarks.
Major Bitcoin mining firms like Galaxy, CoreScientific, and Terawulf are already integrating AI services into their operations as crypto revenues decline. The bill would require facilities with over 100 kilowatts of installed IT capacity to adhere to regionally based emissions standards, with an 11% annual reduction.
Critics argue the bill unfairly singles out crypto mining and could clash with former President Donald Trump's deregulatory stance, which included repealing a Biden executive order on AI safety.