Proposed EPA rollbacks could nix public comment requirements for data centers
The EPA has proposed changes that could reduce federal notification and public-comment requirements for permits covering minor sources of air pollution, including many data centers. Environmental advocates warn the rollback could limit communities’ ability to assess air-quality impacts, while the EPA says states would retain control and that emissions protections would remain in place.
The Environmental Protection Agency is considering rolling back federal notification requirements for minor-source air permits. Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Amanda Garcia told Marketplace Morning Report host Kimberly Adams that many facilities classified as minor sources, including data centers and some power plants, can still have significant effects on local air quality. She said the proposal could reduce opportunities for communities to comment before new facilities are built.
The EPA said states would decide how to administer their minor-source permitting programs and that the proposal would not change emissions standards or weaken environmental protections. The article references the Stargate Oracle AI data center under construction in Abilene, Texas, as an example of the large facilities covered by the broader debate, but the proposed rule would apply nationally.