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The Verge
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Trump's AI plan is a massive handout to gas and chemical companies
The Trump administration put out its vision for AI infrastructure in the US last week. It's a dream for the fossil fuel and chemical industries — and a nightmare for wind and solar energy and the environment. An 'AI Action Plan' and flurry of executive orders Donald Trump signed last week read like manifestos on making AI less 'woke' and less regulated. They're packed with head-spinning proposals to erode bedrock environmental protections in the US, on top of incentives for companies to build out new data centers, power plants, pipelines, and computer chip factories as fast as they can. It's a deregulation spree and a massive handout to fossil fuels, all in the name of AI. What the AI plan 'is really about' is 'using unprecedented emergency powers to grant massive new exemptions for data centers and specifically fossil fuel infrastructure,' says Tyson Slocum, energy program director at the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. 'I think they have a genuine interest in accommodating Big Tech's priorities. But it's an opportunity to marry their priorities for Big Oil.' 'It's an opportunity to marry their priorities for Big Oil.' Data centers are notoriously energy-hungry and have already led to a surge of new gas projects meant to satiate rising demand. But many tech companies have sustainability commitments they've pledged to meet using renewable energy, and as wind and solar farms have generally grown cheaper and easier to build than fossil fuel power plants, they've become the fastest-growing sources of new electricity in the US. Now, Trump wants to turn that on its head. He signed an executive order on July 23rd meant to 'accelerat[e] federal permitting of data center infrastructure.' It tells the Secretary of Commerce to 'launch an initiative to provide financial support' for data centers and related infrastructure projects. That could include loans, grants, and tax incentives for energy infrastructure — but not for solar and wind power. The executive order describes 'covered components' as 'natural gas turbines, coal power equipment, nuclear power equipment, geothermal power equipment' and any other electricity sources considered 'dispatchable.' To be considered dispatchable, operators have to be able to ramp electricity generation up and down at will, so this excludes intermittent renewables like solar and wind power that naturally fluctuate with the weather and time of day. Trump's AI planning document similarly says the administration will prioritize deploying dispatchable power sources and that 'we will continue to reject radical climate dogma.' Already, Trump has dealt killer blows to solar and wind projects by hiking up tariffs and cutting Biden-era tax credits for renewables. The AI executive order goes even further to entrench reliance on fossil fuels and make it harder for new data centers to run on solar and wind energy. 'Right now, you do not qualify for expedited treatment if your data center proposal has wind and solar. It is excluded from favorable treatment,' Slocum says. 'So what's the statement for the market? Don't rely on wind and solar.' That's not just environmentally unfriendly, it's inefficient — considering the current backlog for gas turbines and because fossil fuel plants are generally slower and more expensive to build than onshore wind and solar farms. 'This is not an energy abundance agenda. This is an energy idiot agenda,' Slocum adds. The Trump administration wants to speed things up by rewriting bedrock environmental laws. Trump, ever the disgruntled real estate mogul, has railed against environmental reviews he says take too long and cost too much. He has already worked to roll back dozens of environmental regulations since stepping into office. Now, the executive order directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to modify rules under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Superfund law, and Toxic Substances Control Act to expedite permitting for data center projects. 'That is horrifying … These [laws] protect our public health. They protect our children. They protect the air we breathe and the water we drink,' says Judith Barish, coalition director of CHIPS Communities United, a national coalition that includes labor and environmental groups. 'This is an energy idiot agenda.' The coalition has come together to fight for protections for workers in the chip industry and nearby communities. Semiconductor manufacturing has a long history of leaching harmful chemicals and exposing employees to reproductive health toxins. Santa Clara, California, home of Silicon Valley, has more toxic Superfund sites than any other county in the US as a result. The coalition wants to keep history from repeating itself as the US tries to revive domestic chip manufacturing and dominate the AI market. AI requires more powerful chips, and Trump's executive order fast-tracking federal permitting for data center projects includes semiconductors and 'semiconductor materials.' Barish says 'a chip factory is a chemical factory' because of all the industrial solvents and other chemicals semiconductor manufacturers use. That includes 'forever chemicals,' for which the Trump administration has started to loosen regulations on how much is allowed in drinking water. Companies including 3M and Dupont have faced a landslide of lawsuits over forever chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive risks, liver damage, and other health issues, and have subsequently made pledges to phase out or phase down the chemicals. Now, manufacturers are jumping on the opportunity to produce more forever chemicals to feed the AI craze. Ironically, we could see data centers and related infrastructure popping up on polluted Superfund sites that Silicon Valley has already left in its tracks. Trump's executive order directs the EPA to identify polluted Superfund and Brownfield sites that could be reused for new data center projects (and tells other agencies to scour military sites and federal lands for suitable locations). Office buildings are already situated on or adjacent to old Superfund sites where cleanup is ongoing; Google workers were exposed to toxic vapors rising from a Superfund site below their office back in 2013. Since it can take decades to fully remediate a site, oversight is key. 'For Superfund sites in particular, these are the most contaminated sites in the country, and it is important that there are comprehensive reviews both for the people who are going to be working on the sites, as well as for the people who surround them,' says Jennifer Liss Ohayon, a research scientist at the Silent Spring Institute who has studied the remediation of Superfund sites. But Trump wants to erode oversight for new data center projects that receive federal support — adding 'categorical exclusions' to typical National Environmental Policy Act assessments. Environmental reviews that do take place could also be limited by the sheer lack of people power at federal agencies the Trump administration has hacked to pieces, including the EPA. 'America needs new data centers, new semiconductor and chip manufacturing facilities, new power plants and transmission lines,' Trump said before signing his AI executive orders last week. 'Under my leadership we're going to get that job done and it's going to be done with certainty and with environmental protection and all of the things we have to do to get it done properly.' Good luck. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Justine Calma Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Analysis Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Climate Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Environment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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6 days ago
- Business
Trump administration's new artificial intelligence plan focuses on deregulation, beating China
The White House on Wednesday released its promised "AI Action Plan," a sweeping set of policy proposals aimed at boosting the United States' goal for dominance in artificial intelligence through sweeping deregulation. The plan was developed by the Trump administration's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The 24-page plan outlines over 90 federal actions focused on three areas of focus: increasing private-sector innovation, expanding AI-related infrastructure and exporting American AI. It follows President Donald Trump's January executive order directing the creation of an "AI Action Plan" within 180 days. The proposals appear to break from the Biden administration's more safety-first AI framework, but White House officials cast the strategy as essential to "winning the AI race" against global competitors, especially China. The new plan comes as consumer advocates warn it gives tech companies outsized influence and effectively lets them write their own rules. Public Citizen called it "a corporate giveaway." "The Trump administration's reckless AI agenda prioritizes corporate profits over public safety. The administration plans to give billions to Big Tech so they can burn even more dirty energy, release untested products, and rush into the AI era without accountability to the American public," the group said in a statement. Trump is expected to issue executive orders tied to the plan's priorities. The president on Wednesday will appear at the "Winning the AI Race" event, hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum and the All‑In podcast, which is co-hosted by Sacks. Key pillars of the White House's AI plan The plan aims to accelerate AI Innovation by cutting regulations, pushing for private-sector adoption of AI technologies and relying on the private sector to recommend regulatory barriers to cut. Building and expanding AI infrastructure in America is also among the priorities of the proposal. This means fast-tracking permits for the creation of data centers, removing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and climate requirements, as well as investing in AI-related workforce training. Additionally, the plan recommends, in the name of protecting "free speech" and "American values," to remove references to misinformation, DEI and climate change from federal AI safety guidelines.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump administration's new AI plan focuses on deregulation, beating China
The White House on Wednesday released its promised "AI Action Plan," a sweeping set of policy proposals aimed at boosting the United States' goal for dominance in artificial intelligence through sweeping deregulation. The plan was developed by the Trump administration's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The 24-page plan outlines over 90 federal actions focused on three areas of focus: increasing private-sector innovation, expanding AI-related infrastructure and exporting American AI. It follows President Donald Trump's January executive order directing the creation of an "AI Action Plan" within 180 days. The proposals appear to break from the Biden administration's more safety-first AI framework, but White House officials cast the strategy as essential to "winning the AI race" against global competitors, especially China. The new plan comes as consumer advocates warn it gives tech companies outsized influence and effectively lets them write their own rules. Public Citizen called it "a corporate giveaway." MORE: AI risks 'broken' career ladder for college graduates, some experts say "The Trump administration's reckless AI agenda prioritizes corporate profits over public safety. The administration plans to give billions to Big Tech so they can burn even more dirty energy, release untested products, and rush into the AI era without accountability to the American public," the group said in a statement. Trump is expected to issue executive orders tied to the plan's priorities. The president on Wednesday will appear at the "Winning the AI Race" event, hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum and the All‑In podcast, which is co-hosted by Sacks. Key pillars of the White House's AI plan The plan aims to accelerate AI Innovation by cutting regulations, pushing for private-sector adoption of AI technologies and relying on the private sector to recommend regulatory barriers to cut. Building and expanding AI infrastructure in America is also among the priorities of the proposal. This means fast-tracking permits for the creation of data centers, removing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and climate requirements, as well as investing in AI-related workforce training. MORE: From story time to stress relief: How AI is reshaping modern parenting Additionally, the plan recommends, in the name of protecting "free speech" and "American values," to remove references to misinformation, DEI and climate change from federal AI safety guidelines. The plan, however, does not address the use of copyrighted data for AI training, which has emerged as a key issue for AI and the basis for lawsuits. When asked about this, a senior official told ABC News the issue is currently before the courts and beyond the scope of executive action, stating: "Fair use is the law of the land."
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nationwide protests begin against Trump's immigration crackdown and health care cuts
Protests and events against President Donald Trump's controversial policies that include mass deportations and cuts to Medicaid and other safety nets for poor people have started Thursday at more than 1,600 locations around the country. The 'Good Trouble Lives On' national day of action honors the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. Protests were being held along streets, at court houses and other public spaces. Organizers have called for them to be peaceful. 'We are navigating one of the most terrifying moments in our nation's history,' Public Citizen co-president Lisa Gilbert said during an online news conference Tuesday. 'We are all grappling with a rise of authoritarianism and lawlessness within our administration … as the rights, freedoms and expectations of our very democracy are being challenged.' Public Citizen is a nonprofit with a stated mission of taking on corporate power. It is a member of a coalition of groups behind Thursday's protests. Major protests were planned in Atlanta and St. Louis, as well as Oakland, California, and Annapolis, Maryland. Honoring Lewis' legacy Lewis first was elected to Congress in 1986. He died in 2020 at the age of 80 following an advanced pancreatic cancer diagnosis. He was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists, a group led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, a 25-year-old Lewis led some 600 protesters in the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Lewis was beaten by police, suffering a skull fracture. Within days, King led more marches in the state, and President Lyndon Johnson pressed Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act that later became law. 'Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America,' Lewis said in 2020 while commemorating the 1965 voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Chicago will be the flagship city for Thursday's protests as demonstrators are expected to rally downtown in the afternoon. Betty Magness, executive vice president of the League of Women Voters Chicago and one of the organizers of Chicago's event, said the rally will also include a candlelight vigil to honor Lewis. Much of the rest of the rally will have a livelier tone, Magness said, adding 'we have a DJ who's gonna rock us with boots on the ground.' Protesting Trump's policies Pushback against Trump so far in his second term has centered on deportations and immigration enforcement tactics Earlier this month, protesters engaged in a tense standoff as federal authorities conducted mass arrests at two Southern California marijuana farms. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic raid. Those raids followed Trump's extraordinary deployment of the National Guard outside federal buildings and to protect immigration agents carrying out arrests on Los Angeles. On June 8, thousands of protesters began taking to the streets in Los Angeles. And organizers of the June 14 'No Kings' demonstrations said millions of people marched in hundreds of events from New York to San Francisco. Demonstrators labeled Trump as a dictator and would-be king for marking his birthday with a military parade. Solve the daily Crossword
Al Jazeera
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
‘Good Trouble Lives On' protests across US against Trump policies
Demonstrations have taken place at more than 1,600 locations around the United States, in protest against President Donald Trump's controversial policies that include mass deportations of immigrants and refugees and cuts to medical insurance, as well as the removal of other safety nets for impoverished people. The 'Good Trouble Lives On' refrain that underscored the national day of action on Thursday was inspired by the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who died in 2020 at the age of 80 following an advanced pancreatic cancer diagnosis. He was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists, a group led by Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, a 25-year-old Lewis led some 600 protesters in the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Lewis was beaten by police, suffering a skull fracture. Organisers had called for peaceful protests to take place on the fifth anniversary of Lewis's death along streets, at courts and other public spaces in cities including Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. 'We are navigating one of the most terrifying moments in our nation's history,' Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the nonprofit Public Citizen, said during an online news conference on Tuesday. 'We are all grappling with a rise of authoritarianism and lawlessness within our administration … as the rights, freedoms and expectations of our very democracy are being challenged.' Pushback against Trump so far in his second term has centred on deportations and immigration enforcement tactics, as well as access to healthcare. The administration has pushed third-party countries to accept deportees, and the African country of Eswatini has confirmed this week that it received five individuals deported from the US. The US also completed the deportations of eight men to South Sudan after a judge cleared the way for their transfer to the violence-hit African country. Trump's administration has also been actively targeting pro-Palestinian activists. Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student imprisoned for more than three months, this month filed a wrongful detention claim against Trump seeking $20m in damages. The so‑called 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' also prompted a backlash for slashing health coverage schemes, Medicare and Medicaid, by $930bn over the next decade. It could leave as many as 17 million Americans without insurance, in one of the steepest rollbacks of social welfare programmes in the US since their inception in 1935. Earlier this month, protesters engaged in a tense standoff as federal authorities conducted mass arrests at two Southern California marijuana farms. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic raid. Organisers of the June 14 'No Kings' demonstrations said millions of people marched in hundreds of events from New York to San Francisco. Demonstrators branded Trump as a dictator and would-be king for marking his birthday with a military parade.
