U.S. Senator Introduces Draft of the "Clean Cloud Act," Demanding Emissions Reductions from Crypto Mining Companies

BlockBeats News, April 13th, According to TheBlock, Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman have submitted a draft of the "2025 Clean Cloud Act" to the U.S. Senate, aiming to regulate the carbon emissions of cryptocurrency mining facilities and AI data centers, with the ultimate goal of imposing fines on facilities using non-renewable energy sources by 2035. The draft proposes amending the "Clean Air Act" to require data centers with an energy capacity exceeding 100 kilowatts to comply with regional emission limits specified in the Department of Energy's "National Transmission Demand Study." According to the draft, different regions will set their emission limits, which will be established by the end of 2025 and will decrease by 11% annually until reaching zero by 2035. Companies exceeding the limits will be required to pay fines adjusted for inflation based on the excess amount, and they are prohibited from passing the costs on to users. The fine funds will be used to alleviate the rising electricity costs for residents through grants to local governments and to support clean energy deployment.

The Democratic team of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works posted on Platform X, stating: "Cryptocurrency and AI data centers could have supported clean energy, but instead, they are burning more fossil fuels and driving up household electricity costs. The 'Clean Cloud Act' can ensure these profitable industries bear their due responsibilities, allowing us to stay ahead in AI development and climate security." The bill is expected to face opposition from Republican members of Congress, as former President Trump has publicly expressed his desire for the U.S. to become the world's most significant Bitcoin mining power. Earlier reports indicated that the Trump family is planning to list their Bitcoin mining company.