Trump EPA weighs rule cutting public input on AI data centers

The Trump administration's EPA is reportedly considering a rule that would let states decide how much public input, if any, communities get before new data centers are approved. AI companies have been pushing for faster approval of data center capacity to meet compute demand.

Why it matters: This extends the administration's pattern of removing regulatory friction to speed AI infrastructure buildout, following its earlier Ratepayer Protection Pledge and power-cost commitments. It also sharpens the conflict with the wave of local data-center protests already spreading across dozens of states.