EPA proposals to speed up data center projects 'anti-democratic,' according to Utah environmental group

SALT LAKE CITY — Some Utah environmental groups are concerned that proposed changes on the federal level could speed up data center projects, while simultaneously making it harder to oppose them. The EPA announced a proposal to remove the requirement for public comment in air-quality permitting, leaving that decision up to individual states.

Bryce Bird, director of Utah's Division of Air Quality, said that requirement would not change, regardless of what the EPA ultimately decides.

"The bottom line is that we think the public process is valuable," Bird explained. "We have not either taken action yet or started the process to remove those requirements."

Still, that assurance is not enough for some Utah environmental groups. Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, worries that the EPA's proposal would still leave the option open for the future.

"The fact that this rule may come down as opening the door for slamming the door on public input, that's really concerning," Moench said. "If a new governor were to come in in maybe two years and send a directive down to the DAQ, that we're going to follow what the president wants or something like that. That's a real concern."

Bird said aside from the public comment process, EPA air quality standards would remain.

"Whenever we add an air pollution source, of course, that impacts the local and regional air quality," Bird said. "We still have to evaluate every project to make sure they're using the best available control technology for their air pollution, that we're making sure that they're not impacting the ambient air, they're not causing or contributing to a violation of the national ambient air quality standard."

A second EPA proposal would allow construction, not tied to pollution, to begin on data center and power plant projects before air quality permits are issued. Moench has major concerns about that one too.

"Good luck trying to stop a project that's already been built," he said. "They clearly don't want the public to have any input on these AI data centers. It couldn't be more anti-democratic."

The public comment periods for both proposals wrapped up last month. The EPA will review feedback it received before making a final decision.

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