#EPA proposal could leave the public in the dark on #datacenter plans
By MATTHEW DALY
Updated 1:37 PM EDT, September 3, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — "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 notify the public and seek comment before issuing #AirPollution permits for data centers and other #IndustrialFacilities. States could still offer opportunities for public comment, but the EPA would no longer mandate them as a condition for states to grant permits.
"Critics say the move could thwart local residents from learning about proposed data centers or making their voices heard before projects are approved and construction begins. The move comes during a widespread backlash as #TechGiants build hundreds of massive #ServerWarehouses to fuel #ArtificialIntelligence and #CloudComputing.
" 'By eliminating the long-standing federal requirement for public notice, this proposal continues efforts by the Trump administration to turn its back on the fundamental EPA principle of transparency,' said Mike Koerber, a former deputy director of EPA’s air quality office.
"If made final, the plan could create 'an unlevel playing field where citizens in one state are kept completely in the dark about new data centers and heavy industrial emissions in their backyards, while neighboring states maintain oversight,' he said.
"Under the EPA plan, states with weak or no requirements for #PublicComment could speed permits for data centers, #PowerPlants and other #PollutionSources without consulting the public or even informing communities where the facilities are located, Koerber and other critics said."
Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/epa-data-centers-ai-public-comment-states-947eb927ae81162ad4cc3e828915c804
#USPol #EPAFail #NoDatacenters #NoAIDatacenters #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #EnergyWaste #CorporateGreed #CorporateColonialism #DatacenterMoratoriums #Datacentres #Hyperscale #PhysicalMedia #NoPublicComment #SneakyTechGiants #AI
