A proposed EPA rule would let states decide whether to notify the public or seek comment before issuing air pollution permits for data centers and other minor sources, prompting critics to warn communities may lose advance notice of projects.
The EPA proposal would eliminate the federal requirement that states provide public notice and solicit comment before issuing air pollution permits for certain facilities, including data centers.
States could still choose to hold public comment, but the change would allow jurisdictions with weak or no requirements to approve permits without informing nearby residents.
Agency has proposed changing the rules on public notice for air pollution permits that apply to "minor" sources such as data centers, laundromats, auto repair shops, landfills and small industrial facilities. Under the proposal, the federal government would no longer require states to notify the public and seek comment before issuing those permits. States could still provide notice and opportunity to comment, but it would not be a federal condition for approving state permitting programs.
Communities near proposed facilities could find out later in the process or not at all about pending permits. Advocates and former EPA officials warn that in states with weak public-participation rules, permits could be issued more quickly and with less community awareness or input. That matters for data centers and other developments that attract local opposition over land use, traffic, water and air impacts.
Agency officials say the proposal is meant to align the national approval process with the wording of the Clean Air Act and to give states flexibility in how they structure permitting and public participation for minor sources. The EPA spokeswoman described the move as allowing states to pick their own procedures without changing federal emission standards or environmental protections.
Environmental groups, community organizers and a coalition of nearly 200 organizations oppose the change. Their objections are practical: without a federal requirement for public notice, residents may lose a predictable way to learn about proposed facilities and to comment before approvals and construction go forward. A former EPA deputy director for air quality framed the change as a reduction in transparency that could create unequal notice rights across state lines.
The proposal comes amid a national debate over large server warehouses and related infrastructure. The EPA administrator has characterized the move as cutting red tape and advancing state-led regulation. The rule is expected to be finalized next year.
WASHINGTON — A plan by the Environmental Protection Agency could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers that have sparked backlash in communities across the United States and transformed the midterm election landscape.
A plan by the Environmental Protection Agency could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers that have sparked backlash in communities across the United States and transformed the midterm election landscape. The EPA proposal would eliminate a federal requirement that states n
A plan by the EPA could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers by removing a federal requirement for public notice.
A plan by the Environmental Protection Agency could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers that have sparked backlash in communities across the United States and transformed the midterm election landscape.
Nepal continues search for 2,400 missing in floods The post Nation and world news — at a glance — August 30 appeared first on West Hawaii Today .
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.