Environmental groups have accused major tech companies of exploiting a loophole in the EPA’s air pollution permitting system to bypass stricter emission controls. By splitting their data center operations into smaller, separate sources in permit applications, firms allegedly reclassify what would otherwise be a single "major" emission source into multiple "minor" ones, reducing regulatory oversight. Critics argue this tactic undermines transparency and weakens environmental safeguards for high-polluting projects. The practice raises concerns about how effectively federal agencies can monitor industrial emissions under current permitting rules.
Firms manipulating process to avoid emission controls and scrutiny of their projects, environmental groups warnDatacenter 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. Continue reading...
