EPA plans to scrap public review requirement for data center air permits

The EPA plans to remove a federal requirement that states notify the public and allow comment before approving air-pollution permits for industrial facilities, including data centers and the power plants that supply them. The agency last month also proposed letting developers begin construction before permits are approved. The EPA says the change would give state and local agencies discretion over whether and how long to offer public participation. Nearly 200 advocacy groups and more than a dozen states, led by both parties, oppose the changes. The EPA is expected to finalize the proposal within the next year.