1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

Vote no on HB8037, the Protect American AI Act of 2026. This bill strips away essential environmental protections to fast-track data center construction, and it does so in ways that raise serious constitutional concerns. The bill prohibits courts from halting projects even when they violate the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, or other environmental laws. Instead, violations get sent back to agencies while construction continues. This creates a perverse incentive for agencies to rubber-stamp approvals knowing that illegal projects can proceed anyway. The 90-day deadline to file challenges is unreasonably short for reviewing complex environmental impact statements, effectively denying communities meaningful access to the courts. Data centers don't deserve special treatment that no other infrastructure project receives. HB8037 subordinates clean air, clean water, and endangered species protection to corporate profits. It undermines decades of environmental law by removing the deterrent effect that makes agencies follow the rules in the first place. When courts can't stop illegal projects, environmental laws become suggestions rather than requirements. This bill prioritizes AI industry profits over the health and safety of the communities where these massive facilities will be built. Reject this attempt to create a privileged class of polluters.