The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration is moving to strip data centers of a requirement to publicly report air pollution emissions. The proposed rule, reported by The Guardian on Tuesday, would end public notification for pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals emitted by the rapidly expanding data center industry.
Public health advocates say the rule would also permit emissions permits to be issued without public input, a shift they argue undermines decades of clean air safeguards. Nitrogen oxide contributes to ground-level ozone, which can cause respiratory problems, while carbon monoxide and heavy metals pose a range of health risks, including neurological and cardiovascular damage.
The proposal comes as data centers multiply across the United States to meet demand from cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Critics argue that these facilities, often powered by diesel generators during peak loads or grid outages, can be significant sources of local air pollution.
Supporters of the rule, including industry groups, have not yet commented publicly. Historically, data center operators have argued that their emissions are relatively low compared to other industrial sources and that reporting requirements impose unnecessary burdens.
A copy of the proposed rule has not yet been made public, according to the Guardian, but advocates have begun mobilizing to oppose it during the comment period. The EPA has declined to comment on the record.
If finalized, the rule would represent a significant rollback of transparency measures for a sector that has seen explosive growth. Communities near major data center hubs, such as northern Virginia, Phoenix, and Dallas, could be most affected.
Environmental and public health groups are expected to file formal objections and may pursue legal challenges if the rule takes effect.