Federal data center standards end September; no replacement

Federal data – A Biden-era law requiring federal-bound data center standards and security reporting is set to expire in September, and Congress has not moved to replace it. With public opposition surging, the Trump administration is accelerating construction on federal land—

By the time September arrives. the federal rules that were supposed to govern data centers built for federal use may simply lapse. For people living near the sites, it’s the latest flashpoint in a fight over energy, water and local infrastructure. For federal agencies, it’s a change that could also affect how—and how much—they can verify security.

The Federal Data Center Enhancement Act. which has required standards for companies building data centers intended for federal usage since 2023—either fully or partially—is scheduled to expire in September. A key question facing the country now is whether a new law will step in. Congress is not working on a replacement. leaving a gap that could widen just as the demand for data centers keeps accelerating.

The Biden-era requirements include several operational and resilience obligations: uptime for the facility and the use of sustainable energy sources. The law also required data centers to protect against power failures, physical damage, natural disasters and cyberattacks. Perhaps most importantly for officials trying to manage risk, it required agencies to report on security measures.

Whether the Trump administration will try to cover that loss with an executive order has not been made clear. The administration has, however, moved closer to artificial intelligence companies, with one notable exception, and it has released its own executive order on AI.

That broader push matters to how the public understands what data centers are for. The facilities aren’t only part of the race to train artificial intelligence models. The entire internet runs through data centers—every connection, from people checking their feeds to families searching for information.

The timing now feels especially raw. Public opposition has jumped dramatically. A Gallup poll found that more than 70% of Americans oppose data center projects in their communities, up from 47% just months earlier. Energy and water use is the leading concern among Americans.

That resistance has shown up as more than sentiment. Communities have forced delays or cancellations on more than 75 projects worth an estimated $130 billion in just the first three months of 2026. according to Data Center Watch. a tracking group. Active opposition groups are also multiplying: the number of groups has more than doubled to over 800 across nearly every state.

On federal land, the direction of travel is in sharp contrast. A July 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump fast-tracked data center construction on federal land and stripped away the requirement that builders on federal property plan for water and energy sustainability. Private developers. by contrast. still have to navigate local zoning boards. town councils and state moratoriums—while federal data center projects don’t face that same level of local gatekeeping.

The potential scale of demand is part of why the pressure has grown. The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that data centers could use up to 17% of the U.S. electricity grid by 2030—about double what they use today.

Less visible, but potentially more consequential, is what the FDCEA’s expiration could mean for security. With the federal reporting requirement set to disappear, agencies could lose part of the “paper trail” that helped demonstrate that protections were in place.

“Visibility is a big part of security, and you’re stripping away a lot of tools that were used to make sure that it happens,” said Matt Triner, founder of Hunter Strategy, a Washington-based IT consulting firm.

In other words: when agencies are asked to adopt AI tools and more sensitive government data flows through more data centers, the absence of required security reporting could leave officials with fewer ways to verify whether facilities are actually protected.

States have been trying to fill the policy space on their own. According to MultiState. more than 300 bills have been introduced across 30 states this year alone. targeting data centers’ energy use. water consumption and environmental impact. But those state moves don’t cover what the FDCEA specifically addressed: standards and reporting requirements for federally run or leased facilities.

Sen. Jacky Rosen. D-Nev.—who originally sponsored the federal bill—told Wired that her office is “looking at all options” to ensure Americans’ data is secure. Rosen said. “Data centers across the country house critical and sensitive information. and we need to ensure they are protected from increased cyber threats and natural disasters.”.

The mismatch between where the fight is intensifying and where oversight may be fading is stark. The federal government is the largest employer in the country. the most powerful driver of data center demand. and—soon—the entity with the least public accountability for how federally connected data centers are built if the FDCEA expires without replacement.

The expiration won’t stop data centers from being constructed. It may, however, reduce the trail that helped force visibility into how they operate and how they defend against threats. And as public opposition continues to mount. that loss of oversight could become the next flashpoint in how Americans are asked to accept a future increasingly dependent on places most people never see.

Federal Data Center Enhancement Act FDCEA data centers Congress September expiration Jacky Rosen Trump executive order AI cybersecurity energy and water use federal land construction security reporting