Jumpin’ Jack Newsflash: It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas

There’s something in the air. And there’s going to be a lot more of it if you live in the vicinity of one of the many natural gas-powered AI data centers being built (often without public input). “If built as planned, the gas burning plants — scattered across states including Texas, Ohio and Wyoming — could release as much planet-warming pollution in a year as roughly half of all the passenger vehicles in the United States, according to estimates based on permits, regulatory filings and other data compiled by the Environmental Integrity Project. They would also produce harmful pollutants including particulate matter, formaldehyde and smog-forming nitrogen oxides that can contribute to heart disease, asthma, lung cancer, strokes and other ailments in people living nearby.” NYT (Gift Article): Trump’s Vision for A.I. Dominance Comes With Major Air Pollution.

+ “Data centers like Stargate, along with their accompanying power plants, are proliferating across the country, helping to satisfy an immense demand for artificial intelligence. And despite lofty promises to fuel data centers with renewable energy, data shows AI companies are mostly relying on gas to satisfy their insatiable energy demands. Nationwide, nearly 60 data centers are planning to build their own gas plants to avoid connecting to the grid.” The Texas Tribune: Planned Texas data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than many countries.