Report from 800 Former EPA Staff Links AI Data Center Power Demand to Asthma and Early Deaths
A report by over 800 former EPA staff links the rapid expansion of AI data centers to increased air pollution, posing significant public health risks and economic costs across the United States. The report warns that pollution from powering these data centers could lead to $11.7 billion to $20.9 billion in annual health damages by 2028, exacerbating conditions like asthma and contributing to premature deaths.
A new report from the Environmental Protection Network, comprising over 800 former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees, warns that the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers could significantly worsen air pollution and public health across the United States. Released on September 10, the report estimates that pollution from powering AI data centers could incur annual public health costs ranging from $11.7 billion to $20.9 billion by 2028, potentially leading to 600,000 asthma symptom cases and 1,300 premature deaths annually under a high-growth scenario.
The former EPA officials argue that federal regulators are simultaneously loosening environmental rules. The report identifies at least 30 federal actions taken since January 2025 that it claims weaken safeguards, with 17 explicitly targeting AI or data centers. The primary source of health impact is identified as power plants supplying electricity to data centers, rather than on-site emissions, with over 90 percent of estimated health impacts coming from these regional power sources. The report highlights that rising demand is reshaping the power system, delaying the retirement of coal capacity and proposing at least 74 new gas plants dedicated to data centers.
Research from Virginia Commonwealth University, cited in the report, mapped emissions from 138 data centers in Northern Virginia's Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties, showing a 196% increase in carbon monoxide emissions and a 139% increase in particulate matter from backup generators between 2015 and 2023. The report emphasizes that economically disadvantaged communities often bear a disproportionate share of this health burden. The Environmental Protection Network calls on the EPA to restore and enforce pollution safeguards, require proper permitting and monitoring of data centers, and rebuild scientific and enforcement capacity. They also propose a voluntary Data Center Health Protection Pledge, which has not yet been adopted by any agency. State utility commissions are currently reviewing generation plans tied to data center demand, and federal proposals concerning public notice for air permits remain pending.