American politician and administrator
The federal government has reached a settlement with Chemours over PFAS discharges, requiring a $22.5 million civil penalty and about $450 million in cleanup and compliance measures across West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey. The agreement allows continued PFAS production for commercial and military use while installing pollution controls and providing drinking-water protections.
Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order imposing a one-year statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centres that use 50 megawatts or more, directing regulators to complete an environmental impact review and consider rules to make developers pay for power, contribute to grid upgrades and lose tax breaks. The move has drawn praise from community and environmental groups and rebuke from industry and national conservatives.
The White House has expanded a nonbinding Ratepayer Protection Pledge to include nearly 200 additional utilities, governors and data‑center developers, and President Trump has urged local leaders to welcome data centers as economic opportunities. Critics say the pledge lacks enforcement and will not prevent rising electricity bills as AI-related power demand grows.
Four US-based rights organisations have filed a federal lawsuit in New York challenging last year’s executive order that authorised US sanctions on International Criminal Court judges, prosecutors and groups that cooperate with the court. The complaint has argued the measures have forced them to curtail work, violated constitutional rights and unlawfully interfered with international justice.
Amazon has confirmed plans for an on-site natural gas power plant to power a Pecos County data center campus. The plant would emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually and is positioned as a path to faster deployment and potential future grid connections, though critics warn it could become the largest climate pollution source in the U.S.
A MAHA-backed letter to Trump, Kennedy and cabinet officials has voiced health-first concerns about coal-powered data centers and urged a shift toward solar, geothermal, and efficiency. The move signals growing friction between MAHA activists and the administration as data centers draw increasing scrutiny.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has discussed housing, immigration and affordability with Jared Kushner in a private meeting, prompting questions about strategy and the left’s expectations as Democrats prepare for a potential return to the House. The talk highlights tensions over healthcare policy and party unity ahead of a possible midterm shift.