EPA Proposes Letting States Limit Public Input on Air Pollution Permits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has put forward a rule change that would transfer authority over public engagement processes to individual states regarding air pollution permits. Under the proposed change, states would determine how much input communities have when companies apply for permits to emit pollutants. The move is seen as particularly beneficial for data centers, which are increasingly turning to fossil fuels to meet surging energy demands. Critics view the proposal as a rollback of public oversight on polluting facilities. The rule change is part of the broader Trump administration effort to reshape environmental regulation.