Review links US datacenter demand to pipeline expansion amid regulatory rollbacks
Original report:
A Guardian report published in November 2026 described nearly 200 US pipeline projects proposed or underway. An Environmental Integrity Project review linked the expansion to datacenters and gas exports, while warning that weaker oversight increased risks for communities and wetlands.
Nearly 200 proposed or ongoing US pipeline projects would cover about 17,000 miles, according to an Environmental Integrity Project review of federal records reported by the Guardian on 8 November 2026. The review identified datacenter electricity needs and natural gas exports as drivers. If every line were completed, they could carry roughly 40% more gas daily than the system transported at the time.
The review said the Trump administration had weakened safeguards and pledged to withhold enforcement of pipeline regulations. More than a quarter of projects had sought expedited environmental review, which the report alleged narrowed scrutiny and public participation. Most pipelines would carry natural gas across 42 states, with substantial concentrations in Texas and Louisiana.
The review connected the pipeline expansion to at least 98 proposed gas-fired power plants intended to serve datacenters, extending the sector’s environmental footprint beyond its facilities. It also found that at least 81 pipeline projects were expected to damage more than 19,000 acres of federally protected wetlands, highlighting consequences for affected landscapes.
Source
the Guardian — 8 November 2026
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