WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
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WHAT → happen → ?
It’s been a busy week in D.C., but we are finally reaching the weekend.
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we → reach → weekend
There are several events happening around town this weekend, including the annual H Street Festival, which features live music, performances, and vendors.
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which → be → music
For today’s newsletter, we take a look at Democratic governors’ efforts to rein in data centers, with some calling for more stringent regulations and others threatening to ban the AI facilities.
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others → take → facilities
Meanwhile, at a CSIS event this morning, Ex-Im president and chairman John Jovanovic spoke about Africa’s role in securing the U.S. critical mineral supply chain.
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Jovanovic → speak → chain
Keep reading to see what he has to say.
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he → keep → what
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you → send → you
If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.
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we → sign → list
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse warned that, even if the Senate can strike a deal on permitting in the next couple days, the effort could all be for naught if the House doesn’t decide to take action.
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House → warn → action
“Doesn’t matter what we do in the Senate, now or later, if they don’t have an understanding in the House about when it gets taken up,” Whitehouse said this week, according to Semafor.
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Whitehouse → matter → Semafor
“Will they come back before the election?
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they → come → election
Will they schedule something solid, a fixed date after the election?
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they → schedule → election
I don’t have a program from them yet.
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I → have → them
It’s not my call.
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It → ’ → ?
But I do think it’s important that there be a Senate and House voting plan that the White House has checked off, and so that’s what we’re looking at.”
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we → think → what
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ESCALATE DATA CENTER CRACKDOWN:
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GOVERNORS → escalate → CRACKDOWN
Earlier today, Gov. Abigail Spanberger unveiled what she has called the “most comprehensive and aggressive” data center regulations in the country, marking the latest escalation from state politicians to slow the development of power-hungry data centers.
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she → unveil → centers
The Democratic governor has stopped short of endorsing a full moratorium on data centers in Virginia, which has the highest concentration of the facilities in the nation.
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which → stop → nation
The regulations, which were issued in a nine-page executive order, instead focus on increasing communication and transparency with data center developers and encouraging the use of cleaner sources of energy.
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which → issue → energy
Specifically, the rules impose limits on gas generation for new data centers and bars nondisclosure agreements.
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rules → impose → agreements
The new guidelines also prioritize the hiring of local workers and require the state government to review emissions and air quality impacts of existing facilities.
“As localities continue to have the option of choosing to reject or accept applications for data centers to come into their communities, it’s vital that the state actually provide a framework for them to be able to make those thoughtful, good decisions about what is important to their community,” Spanberger said.
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Spanberger → prioritize → community
A promise from Maryland: Meanwhile, Virginia’s northern neighbor Maryland is setting itself up to halt data center development in the state altogether.
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neighbor → set → state
During an interview with Punchbowl yesterday, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore said he would sign a statewide moratorium on data centers if it landed on his desk.
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it → say → desk
“And here’s the thing, it’s like — I believe that local jurisdictions should have say and they should not be told nor dictated, and I do understand there are certain local jurisdictions who want it,” he said.
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he → ’ → it
“I just need them to understand I have very strict guidelines of what’s going to actually get state approval and state authority.
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what → need → approval
Several jurisdictions in Maryland have already moved to impose temporary bans on data centers, including in Baltimore County.
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jurisdictions → move → County
New York, Oregon, and Texas have also implemented moratoria on data center development through restricting state-owned leases for the facilities or pausing connecting the data centers to the grid.
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York → implement → grid
AFRICA PLAYS KEY ROLE IN U.S. CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CHAIN
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MINERALS → play → CHAIN
Africa has a “very key role to play” in securing the U.S. critical mineral supply chain, said John Jovanovic, president and chairman of the Export-Import Bank, but it will require U.S. involvement in Africa’s infrastructure.
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it → have → infrastructure
That’s where we come in,” Jovanovic said at a CSIS event this morning.
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Jovanovic → ’ → event
He added that other government agencies can also provide equity and feasible support.
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agencies → add → equity
“Use the portfolio of tools that the U.S. government has at your disposal,” he said.
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he → use → disposal
The Trump administration has taken a whole-of-government approach to diversifying and strengthening the domestic supply chain of critical minerals.
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administration → take → minerals
Jovanovic said that EXIM’s Project Vault is one piece of the administration’s effort, which is aimed at ensuring there is uninterrupted access to critical minerals for key industries.
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which → say → industries
“Critical raw materials need to have a place in our ecosystem here, we need to mine in America.
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we → need → America
We need to refine and process in America,” Jovanovic said.
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Jovanovic → need → America
“And here’s where people lose the punchline: we need to work constructively with our partners around the globe to make that a reality,” he added.
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he → ’ → globe
The State Department earlier this year signed memorandums with several African nations to support mining development.
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Department → sign → development
In regards to the stockpile, Jovanovic said it is meant to serve as a blueprint that others can replicate.
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others → say → that
The stockpile is about partnering with the private sector to make it “demand-led, demand-driven,” he said.
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he → partner → sector
…and 48 more, not listed.
The Aporia
