‘Clean Cloud Act’ Targets Emissions from Crypto Miners and AI Data Centers with 2035 Deadline
A new draft bill introduced to the U.S. Senate aims to hold cryptocurrency miners and AI data centers accountable for their carbon footprints. The proposed legislation, known as the Clean Cloud Act of 2025, would establish a clear roadmap toward carbon neutrality in these high-energy sectors by the year 2035.
Sponsored by Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman, the bill proposes an amendment to the Clean Air Act that would impose annual emissions caps on data centers consuming more than 100 kilowatts of energy. These caps would be determined by regional benchmarks, following guidelines from the Department of Energy’s National Transmission Needs Study.
If enacted, the emissions limits would be finalized by the end of 2025 and reduced by 11% each year, effectively requiring a full transition to clean energy within a decade. Facilities exceeding these limits would face fines calculated based on their excess emissions and adjusted annually for inflation. Importantly, operators would be prohibited from passing these penalties on to their customers.
The funds collected through these fines would be channeled into grants for local governments to ease any potential increases in residential electricity costs and to support broader clean energy initiatives.
“Crypto and AI data centers can support clean energy, but they’re burning more fossil fuels and driving up families’ energy prices instead,” stated the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works via X (formerly Twitter). “The Clean Cloud Act ensures industries that profit also pay their fair share.”
The bill also mandates greater transparency. Data centers would be required to submit annual reports on their electricity use and energy sources. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would then use this information to calculate each facility’s greenhouse gas intensity and assess any applicable penalties.
A noteworthy provision places the financial responsibility for potential fines on tenants leasing space within data centers, such as crypto startups or AI firms, rather than on the property owners. This could broaden the scope of the law’s impact across the digital economy.
However, the legislation is likely to encounter significant resistance from Republican lawmakers. Former President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for expanding the United States' role in global Bitcoin mining, and his sons are reportedly preparing to take their own crypto mining venture public.
As the conversation around energy-intensive technologies evolves, the Clean Cloud Act sets the stage for a deeper debate on how to balance innovation with climate accountability.