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A group representing more than 800 former Environmental Protection Agency employees is warning that the rapid expansion of U.S. data centers could worsen air pollution and public health risks, particularly as the Trump administration rolls back environmental regulations and seeks to speed up facility approvals, The New York Times reports.
A report from the Environmental Protection Network cites research projecting that pollution associated with data center electricity demand could contribute to roughly 600,000 asthma symptom cases, 1,300 premature deaths and more than $20 billion in annual public health costs by 2028.
The group says the actual health impacts could be greater because those estimates do not account for recent environmental rollbacks, including policies that make it easier to operate certain diesel generators and restart long-idled fossil-fuel power plants, as well as a proposed rule that could allow construction to begin before air pollution permits are approved. More than 1,300 data centers already operate in the U.S., with more than 2,000 additional facilities planned.
While the debate has focused on electricity costs, water use, noise and jobs, pollution from the gas- and diesel-powered facilities supplying data centers is drawing increasing attention. Former EPA officials also warn that reduced agency staffing and enforcement capacity could make it more difficult to monitor emissions as the industry expands. Researchers say technology companies typically report energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions but provide less attention to local air pollution, which can directly affect nearby communities and is more difficult to offset.
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