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On October 23, 2026, Neil Chatterjee and Michael S. Regan jointly proposed placing the regulation of AI and digital infrastructure, and the electricity behind it, under a single agency. The two previously headed the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), respectively. In an article published the same day, they argued that data center development has outpaced regulatory rules, that communities are pushing back over electricity bills, pollution, water resources and noise, and that grid operators have issued reliability warnings. They contend that simply saying "no" is not the answer; instead, drawing on the historical experience of the Air Commerce Act of 1926, a federal framework should be established that balances national competitiveness with community interests. The proposal remains at the advocacy stage, and there is no qualifying factual evidence of subsequent regulatory action.
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Oct 23
Fortune Tech
Two former US officials from opposing parties: How to solve the data center mess
The two authors, who headed the EPA under the Biden administration and FERC under the Trump administration, argue that data center development has outpaced regulatory rules, communities are pushing back over electricity costs, pollution, water resources and noise, and grid operators are issuing reliability warnings. They contend that a simple "no" is not the answer; instead, drawing on the historical experience of the 1926 Air Commerce Act, a federal framework should be established that balances national competitiveness with community interests.