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A Growing Data Center Pollution Threat, and the Last of the Jan. 6 Cases

August 5, 2026

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5 min read

A Growing Data Center Pollution Threat, and the Last of the Jan. 6 Cases

The New York Times has been digging into a pollution threat that has received far less public attention than data centers' water use or noise: as the Trump administration encourages tech companies to build their own power plants to bypass the aging electrical grid, at least 82 gas-burning plants are currently under construction or proposed across the United States. If all come online, they could release as much greenhouse emissions as roughly half of all passenger vehicles in the country, according to an environmental watchdog group. The plants will also produce pollutants linked to heart disease, asthma, lung cancer, and strokes in nearby communities.

The Data Center Power Plant Boom

President Trump endorsed the strategy of letting data center developers build their own electricity generation during this year's State of the Union address, saying, "We have an old grid that could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that's needed. So I'm telling them they can build their own plant, they're gonna produce their own electricity." Tech companies have moved quickly to take him up on it, hoping to bypass the years-long process of connecting to the normal grid.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:47) **Michigan Democratic Senate Primary Too Close to Call** - The race between progressive Abdul El-Sayyid and moderate Haley Stevens tests the party's strategy for retaking the Senate.
  • 2 (02:19) **Stock Market Rallies Amid Volatility** - The S&P 500 hit a record high yesterday, continuing a pattern of spikes and plunges tied to geopolitical and earnings news.
  • 3 (02:45) **Data Center Pollution Threat Grows as Trump Pushes Self-Built Power Plants** - A Times investigation reveals that at least 82 gas-burning plants are being built or proposed to power data centers, threatening massive pollution.
  • 4 (04:29) **Regulations Swept Aside to Fast-Track Data Center Power Plants** - The Trump administration and some states have exempted these plants from pollution limits and environmental oversight.
  • 5 (05:24) **Last January 6th Seditious Conspiracy Cases Thrown Out** - A federal judge granted the DOJ's request to dismiss cases against eight Oath Keepers members, marking the final erasure of the Capitol attack investigation.
  • 6 (06:48) **Russia Targets Ukrainian Gas Stations in Systematic Retaliation Campaign** - Nearly 250 gas stations have been attacked in recent months, killing civilians and disrupting daily life.
  • 7 (09:12) **Vet Schools Begin Training to Save Honeybees** - University of Georgia and other programs are teaching vets how to treat bee colonies, as mass die-offs become common.

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Show Notes

Plus, why veterinarians are learning to handle honeybees.

Here’s what we’re covering:

Primary Elections Live Updates, by The New York Times

Stocks Hit a Record as Worries About Middle East and A.I. Ease, by Joe Rennison and Aruni Soni

Trump’s Vision for A.I. Dominance Comes With Major Air Pollution, by Hiroko Tabuchi

Judge Pained as He Grants Dismissal of Jan. 6 Charges Against Oath Keepers, by Alan Feuer

A New Lethal Front in Ukraine: Its Beloved Gas Stations, by Cassandra Vinograd and Oleksandr Chubko

Honey, Call the Bee Vet!, by Emily Anthes

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