An executive order and a $100 billion Kentucky data center project mark the latest steps in the Trump administration’s plan to accelerate the construction of AI infrastructure by opening federal land and shortening permitting timelines. Environmental groups have already launched legal challenges.
The Trump administration signaled plans to aggressively accelerate construction of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers by opening federal lands to massive technology campuses and fast-tracking environmental approvals.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last week announced it will convert the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky into a $100 billion AI data center campus powered by 2 gigawatts of natural gas generation and 2.6 gigawatts of battery storage.
Read more: Trump Calls for Rapid Expansion of AI Data Centers, Including on Federal Lands
