Michael Baumgartner: America can win the AI race without sending the bill to working families

Michael Baumgartner says the United States can “win the AI race” while limiting costs that would otherwise fall on working families, arguing for a rules-based approach to new power and water needs. He points to Eastern Washington as a potential site for additional cloud computing and AI data centers, noting the region’s access to hydropower via the Grand Coulee Dam, the Snake River, and Riverfront Park. Baumgartner warns that hyperscaler interest should be handled carefully, especially around who pays for new power plants, transmission lines, and water infrastructure. He describes introducing the Power and Water for Families Act to create a national framework that would require facilities to pay the full incremental cost of electrical grid generation and upgrades. The proposal also pushes data centers toward recycled water, supported by an investment tax credit for qualifying water-reuse projects. The article frames the plan as a way to protect ratepayers, farmers, and small businesses from subsidizing private development.