Nearly 200 activists from the Make America Healthy Again movement sent a letter to President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on August 21, warning against the use of coal to power artificial intelligence data centers. A July 23, 2025 executive order fast-tracked permits for data center infrastructure and designated coal as an eligible resource, resulting in at least five to eight coal plants being kept operational specifically to feed data center energy demands. The activists argue in public health terms, citing coal ash, particulate emissions, and respiratory illness in children living near these facilities. The movement advocates for solar and geothermal energy as alternatives and calls for comprehensive environmental reviews before data center siting. Kennedy’s position, at the intersection of these competing priorities as both Health Secretary and figurehead of the MAHA movement, will be crucial.
Source: Read the original article
