American Infrastructure Alliance Launches First Nationwide Partnership Between Labor & Business to Advance Responsible Data Center Infrastructure Growth

Coalition will advocate for common-sense guardrails that protect water resources, hold down energy costs, and ensure communities share in the benefits of responsible development

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Infrastructure Alliance (AIA) today launched the first nationwide coalition of labor and business focused on establishing responsible, enforceable guardrails for data center development at the state and local level.

AIA's inaugural members include The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), The International Association of Iron Workers, The United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA), The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (HFIAW), the Ohio State Building & Construction Trades Council, ACT Ohio, QTS, SoftBank, SB Energy, OpenAI, Blackstone, CoreWeave, Prologis, Skybox, Rowan, American Real Estate Partners (AREP) and its vertically integrated data center platform, PowerHouse Data Centers, Related Digital, and Digital Realty.

AIA's goal is to support and shape coordination between industry, labor, local communities, and elected officials to advance the long-term investment that data centers bring to communities and regions across the country. While AIA is not focused on the upcoming election, the coalition's work will begin ahead of and continue through the 2027 state legislative sessions, establishing approaches that can carry this work forward for years to come.

This begins by developing common-sense, locally-grounded standards, not by implementing a one-size-fits-all template. AIA will support the ongoing discussions that policymakers, local leaders, and communities are having in key states to build clear frameworks for data center growth that protect natural resources, enforce accountability, create high-wage local jobs, strengthen our economy, and deliver durable benefits for homeowners, school districts, local businesses, and more.

"Our members are proud to lead the way in modernizing our energy infrastructure and strengthening our economic and energy security for decades to come. Blanket bans on necessary infrastructure projects would set back our economy and threaten good middle-class jobs. The IBEW is committed to responsible development that benefits workers, communities, and our nation," said Kenneth Cooper, IBEW International President. 

"At a time when much of America's traditional manufacturing base is under pressure, data center development represents a critical opportunity for the U.S. to lead by building, investing, and creating skilled, high-paying jobs here at home. American workers and communities should have a seat at the table as this critical infrastructure is built," said Michael Coleman, General President of SMART. "We're proud to be part of AIA's efforts to support growth that delivers real benefits, creates sustained opportunity, and holds companies accountable to workers and communities."

"For more than 137 years, the men and women of the United Association have protected our most precious resource: water. And since the invention of the Internet, UA members have built, maintained, and powered the data centers that enable daily life as we know it. As the future of data center construction enters a new chapter, we cannot settle for anything less than the highest standards of quality and safety," said Mark McManus, General President of the United Association. "Our gold-standard training and registered apprenticeship programs mean our members are the best trained and most highly skilled craftspeople in the industry. We are proud to join this coalition to chart a clear path forward, so that United Association members can continue to protect the health of the nation."

"Responsible growth requires clear expectations for everyone involved," said Tag Greason, Co-CEO of QTS. "Communities should have confidence that new development will be accompanied by transparent commitments regarding resource use, infrastructure investment, economic opportunity, and community benefits. In the coming weeks, AIA will release a set of principles that can serve as a practical starting point for policymakers, industry leaders, workers, and local stakeholders in the places that we call home."

AIA's approach is grounded in its own polling across key states, which shows support for data center development shifting from deep skepticism to clear majority support, once enforceable guardrails are proposed and detailed. Informed by this research, AIA will support state policies and standards that:

• Protect water and local resources. Development should include transparent, binding commitments to water stewardship and infrastructure.
• Require projects to pay their own way. Data center developers and operators should pay for the energy and infrastructure needed, protecting households, ratepayers, and local communities from added costs.
• Create good jobs and long-term workforce opportunities. Development should support workers and skilled trades for years to come.
• Deliver visible local benefits. Projects should strengthen schools, roads, community infrastructure, and local institutions.
• Ensure operators are accountable. Communities need clear, binding standards and oversight.

AIA's key operating states currently include Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and South Carolina. Efforts in these states will be led by local initiatives with potential for further state expansion over time.

For more information, contact:
[email protected]

About the American Infrastructure Alliance
The American Infrastructure Alliance is a labor-business coalition advocating for responsible development of core infrastructure that strengthens our economy, creates good jobs, and puts communities first. We support clear state-set guardrails for data centers to ensure that facilities operate responsibly and transparently, and that communities still benefit from these investments. AIA works with Democrats and Republicans alike to build guardrails that allow responsible growth while protecting communities.

SOURCE American Infrastructure Alliance