Indiana data center operated 15 years without air permit

The Lifeline Data Center, located in the former Eastgate Mall in Indianapolis since 2009, operated for 15 years without an air permit for its dozen backup diesel generators. The facility, which provides IT services, only applied for the necessary state air permit in 2025, years after its establishment.

The lack of oversight came to light following an unannounced inspection by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) in January 2024 at a second Lifeline Data Center property in Fort Wayne. During the Fort Wayne inspection, a state environmental inspector observed "uncontrollable visible emissions" and later issued a violation letter when no air permit was found. The Fort Wayne site registered its permit in September 2024. The Indianapolis facility's permit was not officially in place until August 2025, and while IDEM issued a violation letter for its years of unpermitted operation in May 2026, Lifeline was not required to pay any fines.

This incident underscores broader concerns among Indiana residents and environmental groups, such as the Hoosier Environmental Council, about the state's ability to effectively regulate air emissions from the rapidly expanding data center industry. David Van Gilder of the Hoosier Environmental Council called the lack of oversight "troubling," emphasizing the need for data center operators to adhere to environmental regulations. Critics argue that the state's reliance on self-reporting for permits, coupled with a lack of proactive inspections, creates vulnerabilities as larger hyperscale data centers with hundreds of generators are being developed across Indiana.