The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is advancing proposals that would limit public involvement in the approval process for air-pollution permits tied to data centers and associated power plants. Currently, states are required to notify the public and allow comments before issuing such permits. The EPA’s proposed changes would give state and local agencies more discretion to decide if and when public participation occurs, and could allow construction to begin before permits are finalized.

This shift comes amid widespread opposition from communities across the country, with surveys indicating that 70% of Americans do not want data centers built near their neighborhoods. The rural South, home to many Black communities, has seen significant data center expansion, raising concerns about environmental health risks, rising utility costs, and displacement.

Environmental activists and local residents argue that reducing public input undermines democratic principles and community rights. Paul Black, an organizer opposing a massive data center project in South Carolina, described the changes as a betrayal of public trust. Similarly, Louisiana public service commissioner Davante Lewis highlighted the difficulty communities face in understanding and responding to these developments due to secrecy and limited information.

Data centers require substantial electricity, often supplied by gas-fired power plants that emit pollutants linked to respiratory and cancer risks. The financial burden of new utility infrastructure frequently falls on local ratepayers, disproportionately affecting Black households that already face higher energy costs.

Local governments have sometimes signed nondisclosure agreements with tech companies, further restricting transparency. In South Carolina, recent legislation allows power plants serving data centers to be built without state regulatory approval, intensifying concerns about unchecked industrial growth.

Nearly 200 advocacy groups and multiple states, representing both political parties, have expressed opposition to the EPA’s proposed rule changes. Critics warn that these policies could accelerate data center construction at the expense of community health and environmental justice.

The EPA defends the proposals as a means to streamline permitting and bolster U.S. economic development and leadership in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The agency aims to finalize the rule within the next year.

The debate highlights the tension between rapid technological infrastructure expansion and the need for community engagement and environmental protection, especially in vulnerable areas.