EPA Reviews 4,900 Comments on Plan to End Air-Permit Input for Data Centers
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 28
EPA Reviews 4,900 Comments on Plan to End Air-Permit Input for Data Centers
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Aug 28
Summary
More than 4,900 comments are under EPA review after the public comment period closed on a proposal to drop federal notice-and-comment requirements for certain air permits, including some tied to data centers.
The change would shift responsibility to state and local air agencies under the New Source Review program, letting them decide whether nearby residents are notified before some new pollution sources are approved.
EPA says the rule targets “minor” sources with limited environmental impact, but environmental groups argue those permits can cover projects with significant local effects and allow construction to proceed with little public scrutiny.
xAI’s Colossus 1 data center in Tennessee was permitted as a minor source in 2025, drawing thousands of comments and later legal threats over unpermitted gas turbines — a case advocates cite as evidence the process still matters.
The proposal comes as AI-driven data center growth is intensifying community opposition over pollution and power demand, making air permitting a broader flashpoint beyond traditional industrial facilities.