EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said Wednesday that the Trump administration won’t set nationwide environmental standards or recommendations for the rapidly growing data center industry, leaving decisions to states and local communities instead.
Speaking at the POLITICO Energy Summit in Washington on June 10, Zeldin argued that data centers vary too much to be regulated with a single federal approach. “You can’t just across the board act as if every data center project is equal,” he said, noting that facilities differ in how they power operations and cool systems.
Zeldin cited closed-loop data center designs that reduce water consumption and referenced President Trump’s voluntary ratepayer protection pledge with major tech and AI companies to cover grid upgrades. “While we hear these stories of the worst-case data center that is most controversial and has the most amount of opposition, we might hear less about the data center that is following all the best practices,” he said.
The decision reflects broader tension over data center expansion. Just 37 percent of Americans would support a data center being built in their area, according to a POLITICO poll earlier in 2026, citing concerns about water usage and air pollution. Despite this public skepticism, 27 states are advancing data center legislation that addresses energy costs, water usage, and environmental requirements, according to policy tracker MultiState.
Zeldin emphasized that the EPA’s role remains advisory outside of permitting decisions. “EPA is not the party that is negotiating and or mediating or refereeing that deal,” he said, though the agency will share technical expertise and best practices.
Zeldin’s stance continues a pattern of EPA actions favoring data center development. The agency has eased guidance for diesel generators used to power facilities, rolled back pollution rules for coal plants being kept open to support data centers, and previously courted the AI industry during his tenure.
Sources
- Politico — EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s statement on June 10, 2026, at the POLITICO Energy Summit that the Trump administration won’t set nationwide environmental standards for data centers
- POLITICO — Poll data showing 37 percent of Americans would support data center construction in their area
- MultiState — Reporting that 27 states are advancing data center legislation addressing energy costs and environmental requirements
