HR 7197 Introduced – AI Environmental Impacts

Last month, Rep Eshoo (D,CA) introduced HR 7197, the Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2024. The bill would require the EPA to conduct a study on the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence. It would then require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to convene a consortium “to identify the future measurements, methodologies, standards, and other appropriate needs, in order to measure and report the full range of environmental impacts of artificial intelligence”. No new funding is authorized by this legislation.

The language is identical to S 3572 [removed from paywall] which was introduced at the same time, thus these are companion bills; designed to allow committee consideration to proceed in parallel in both houses of congress.

Moving Forward

Eshoo is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill was assigned for secondary consideration. While this means that there may be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in that Committee, there are no cosponsors that are members of the House Space, Science, and Technology Committee to which this bill was assigned for primary consideration. Thus the bill is unlikely to be considered in that Committee. With no funding, and no regulatory requirements, I see nothing in this bill would engender any organized opposition. I suspect that the bill would receive some level of bipartisan support were it considered.