Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Trump slated to announce data center initiative

President Trump, during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, is expected to announce agreements with Big Tech aimed at mitigating data centers’ impact on rising electricity prices.

A White House official confirmed to The Hill that Trump is expected to unveil “rate payer protection pledges” under which companies would pay increased electricity costs in areas where new data centers are built.

It’s expected to be one of several economic announcements that Trump makes during the highly anticipated speech.

“The President will proudly tout his Administration’s many record-breaking accomplishments, and also lay out an ambitious agenda to continue bringing the American Dream back for working people,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a written statement.

The pledges were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Microplastics found in higher levels in prostate tumor tissue: Research

A new study released Tuesday found microplastics deep inside samples from 9 out of 10 patients with prostate cancer, with more microplastic levels inside tumors than in regular healthy tissue nearby.

Full Story

Park ranger fired for hanging trans pride flag sues Interior Department

A former National Park Service (NPS) ranger who was fired last year for hanging a transgender pride flag in Yosemite National Park sued multiple federal agencies Monday over their termination, arguing it violated their First Amendment rights.

Full Story

What We're Reading

News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Are forever chemicals in your drinking water? Check new EPA data here (USA Today)
FEMA national security functions ‘significantly constrained’ during shutdown, email warns (The Washington Post)

On Tap

Upcoming news themes and events we're watching:

Tonight, President Trump is slated to deliver the State of the Union Address.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on Trump nominees to the Bureau of Land Management, Energy Department and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on the Water Resources Development Act

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Gorsuch takes aim at fellow Supreme Court justices in tariff decision

Beneath the surface of the Supreme Court’s tariff decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch had choice words for his colleagues. Read more

Hegseth says he’ll order random pizzas to throw off monitoring app

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth jokingly said any surge in takeout deliveries to the Pentagon — a phenomenon that has accurately predicted the start of major geopolitical events — could be him ordering pizza “just to throw everybody off.” Read more

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