Former EPA officials warn weaker rules could raise data center pollution

In short: Former EPA officials say the Trump administration is weakening pollution rules to speed up AI data center construction, which could increase health risks.

What happened

A group of former US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials released a new report warning that recent federal policy changes could lead to more pollution as AI data centers expand. Data centers are large buildings filled with computers that run online services, and they also power many AI tools.

The group, part of the Environmental Protection Network, said it counted 30 federal actions since January 2025 that it believes could make pollution and health harms worse. It said 17 of those actions either mention AI directly or focus on data centers. The report argues that the government is reducing oversight at the same time it is trying to speed up permits for projects.

The report also points to the administration’s push to build more energy supply for data centers, including new gas projects. It says the pollution can spread beyond the immediate area because power plants and factories serving data centers can be located far away (like smoke that drifts from a chimney to other neighborhoods).

The former officials are urging the White House to adopt a “Data Center Health Protection Pledge.” They say it should include tracking how pollution is changing, who is being exposed, and publishing that information.

In a statement to The Verge, an EPA spokesperson said the agency is returning regulations to what it considers the best reading of environmental laws. The spokesperson also said the EPA remains committed to protecting human health and the environment while prioritizing making the US “the AI capital of the world.”

Why it matters

Even if you do not live near a data center, you can still be affected if more electricity demand leads to more pollution from power plants. The report cites a study estimating air pollution linked to AI could contribute to up to 1,300 premature deaths and more than $20 billion in health costs by 2028.

Source: The Verge AI