Leaders Plan Freshwater Protections for Mississippi River Against AI Data Center Growth

Leaders from 10 states along the Mississippi River are planning to introduce new legislation to protect the major waterway from the expansion of AI infrastructure. The goal is to establish freshwater usage policies that mirror the Great Lakes Compact. These proposed protections aim to balance the overall supply of water with the needs of the ecosystem, local economies, shipping routes, and drinking water.

The proposed policies are intended to address the indirect water usage caused by hyperscale data centers. These facilities often rely on large amounts of electricity generated by power plants that consume significant volumes of water. The new regulations seek to manage this resource usage sustainably.