The Big Beautiful Bill is making waves, and not in a good way. A provision tucked inside this massive legislative package would strip state and local governments of their ability to regulate artificial intelligence for the next decade. This isn’t just about tech policy. It’s about power, control, and the future of communities across America.
What’s really at stake?
Local governments have long played a crucial role in zoning decisions, ensuring that industrial developments don’t disrupt residential areas. But this bill would make it easier for corporations to secure zoning variances, allowing massive AI data centers to be built dangerously close to neighborhoods. These facilities require enormous amounts of electricity and water, often straining local infrastructure. Without local oversight, communities could be left powerless to push back against unwanted developments.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening.
In one Congressional district, a proposed AI data center raised concerns among residents. The issue was resolved because local officials had leverage to negotiate terms. Under the Big Beautiful Bill, that leverage disappears. The ability of communities to decide where these centers will be built would be undermined, leaving decisions in the hands of corporations and federal regulators.
Hellbound and Down 