Sep 18, 2026
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has retreated from demands that new AI data centres be powered entirely by renewable energy, following pushback from state and territory leaders at national cabinet. The federal government secured a broad agreement on data centre development but allowed carveouts for jurisdictions to use coal and gas power.
Almost 200 supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again movement have sent a letter criticizing President Donald Trump's push to use coal energy to power artificial intelligence data centers, marking a rare public split between the MAHA movement and Trump's energy priorities.
Amazon's planned data center in Pecos County, Texas received a permit to build an on-site power plant that could release up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually, potentially making it the largest source of climate pollution in the United States.
German energy company RWE reached a $1.22 billion settlement with the Trump administration to relinquish offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York, California, and Louisiana. The deal marks the fifth such buyback, bringing the total cost of offshore wind lease terminations to nearly $4 billion.
William Lawrence, an environmental organizer who campaigned on a datacenter moratorium, secured the Democratic nomination for Michigan's seventh congressional district after defeating two moderate rivals. He will challenge Republican Representative Tom Barrett in a closely watched November race for the swing House seat.
The Department of Energy under the Trump administration removed more than 1,600 web pages that provided guidance on electrical grid preservation, staying cool during heatwaves, and cutting energy costs, according to reports.
A U.S. appeals court lifted a lower court order that had required the Trump administration to reinstall dozens of exhibits related to slavery, climate change, and immigration that were removed from national parks. The ruling represents a significant legal victory for the administration's efforts to reshape historical and scientific presentations in federal parks.