Datacenter demand spurs fossil fuel pipeline projects as Trump administration discards rules

Summary

Datacenters are spurring a boom in fossil fuel pipeline projects while the Trump administration is gutting rules that protect against disasters, according to a new review of federal records. The report, compiled by the Environmental Integrity Project, found that pipelines are also being built to meet demand for natural gas exports, which the review ties to wars in Ukraine and Iran. Federal records identified almost 200 pipeline projects that are proposed or in the works, which would collectively span 17,000 miles (27,000 km).

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   8 Nov 2026, 13:00 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that datacenters are driving a boom in fossil fuel pipeline projects as the Trump administration guts regulations, citing a new Environmental Integrity Project review of federal records that identified almost 200 proposed or in-progress pipelines spanning 17,000 miles (27,000 km).