US Senate to Deliberate on Bill to Reduce Emissions from Miners

The US Senate has introduced a bill imposing regional emission limits on cryptocurrency mining facilities and AI data centers.

The Clean Cloud Act was proposed by Democrats Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman.

It amends the Clean Air Act, requiring data centers with over 100 kW capacity to adhere to emission limits based on their region. Each state will have its parameter set by the end of the year, according to the draft.

The document calls for an annual reduction of regional limits by 11% until they reach zero by 2035, urging companies to switch to renewable energy sources.

Penalties, adjusted for inflation, are stipulated for exceeding these limits. The bill prohibits passing these costs onto consumers, placing responsibility on facility tenants.

Funds collected will be used to curb potential electricity price hikes for the public by providing grants to local municipalities and financing the adoption of clean energy sources.

The bill mandates companies to produce annual reports on energy consumption and sources for emission calculations.

Crypto & AI data centers can support clean energy, but they’re burning more fossil fuels & driving up families’ energy prices instead.

We can lead on AI & climate safety with @SenWhitehouse’s Clean Cloud Act, which ensures that the industries profiting also pay their own way. pic.twitter.com/8jcjGG4Ujy

— Senate EPW Democrats (@EPWCmte) April 11, 2025

“Crypto and AI data centers can support clean energy, but instead they are burning more fuel and increasing household costs,” explained the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

The Block expressed confidence in Republican resistance to the initiative.

During the election campaign, President Donald Trump dubbed himself the “crypto president.” He promised to make the US the “world capital” of the digital asset industry and globally protect the mining sector.

On April 2, Trump announced new tariffs for trading partners. A minimum of 10% for all countries took effect on April 5.

From April 9, the US imposed “reciprocal tariffs” on several countries. Rates were increased for Malaysia (24%), Thailand (36%), Indonesia (32%), Taiwan (32%), and for China, it ultimately reached 104%.

The tariffs impacted bitcoin mining, according to industry experts. Companies rushed to import ordered ASIC devices before the “liberating” tariffs took effect.

Earlier in April, US Senator from Texas Ted Cruz introduced a bill aimed at using energy resource extraction waste for mining digital gold.

In 2024, the environmental organization GreenpeaceUSA quietly concluded its “Change the Code” campaign, aimed at combating pollution from PoW algorithms.