How 5 Indiana data centers avoided needing federal water permits
Five large data centers under construction in Indiana avoided federal water permits because a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act. The exemption reduced environmental scrutiny, public input and potential wetland-restoration costs for projects including Google’s Fort Wayne campus and Meta’s Lebanon campus.
Several major data centers being built in Indiana were not required to obtain federal permits under the Clean Water Act after a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision narrowed the law’s protection of surface waters. As a result, the projects avoided more extensive environmental review, public participation and costs associated with restoring wetlands.
The developments include Google’s 900-acre campus in Fort Wayne and Meta’s 1,500-acre campus in Lebanon. The article presents the permit exemption as a consequence of the changed federal legal standard rather than a decision specific to any one project.