Datacenter developers accused of skirting key US pollution rules
Environmental advocates accuse major tech companies of manipulating air pollution permitting processes to avoid regulatory scrutiny. By splitting large datacenter projects into smaller, separate permit applications, developers are allegedly bypassing major environmental reviews.
Why it matters
This practice obscures the true environmental impact of rapidly expanding datacenter infrastructure on local air quality and public health.
Protesters gather outside the New Mexico environment department in Santa Fe to voice opposition to the Project Jupiter datacenter. Protesters gather outside the New Mexico environment department in Santa Fe to voice opposition to the Project Jupiter datacenter. Datacenters – US Datacenter developers accused of skirting key US pollution rules Firms manipulating process to avoid emission controls and scrutiny of their projects, environmental groups warn
Prefer the Guardian on Google Datacenter developers are manipulating the EPA’s air pollution permitting process to avoid emission controls and scrutiny of their projects, environmental advocates allege.
Companies need federal permits to emit a range of pollutants. In their permit applications, some in big tech are avoiding “major” reviews by dividing their emissions sources into separate, multiple “minor” sources that require less regulatory oversight, the advocates say.
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