EPA has a huge role in American AI dominance
America has led every technological revolution, from manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution to railroads, aviation and the space race. We have pioneered some of the most innovative technologies to date, leading the world into new eras of possibility. Artificial intelligence is the next great American Frontier.
President Trump recognized this immediately, signing the first ever AI Executive Order in January, Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence.
A core pillar of my Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative is making America the AI capital of the world, and the Environmental Protection Agency will be critical in that mission.
America’s AI Action Plan, proposed by President Trump, centers on three objectives — accelerating AI innovation, building out AI infrastructure and sharing AI technology with our allies.
The Trump EPA is implementing the largest deregulatory agenda in American history. In fact, we will accomplish more deregulation in one year than entire federal government has achieved across all agencies throughout entire presidencies. We choose to protect the environment and grow the economy simultaneously.
This week, I met with data center developers and AI executives at the White House to advance these discussions.
During President Trump’s first term, EPA developed the National Reuse Water Action Plan to advance water reuse strategies with AI applications in mind.
We’re now expanding this effort by considering data center projects in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) process, which would streamline approval timelines for critical infrastructure.
Data centers range from 5,000 square feet to massive 100,000 square foot hyperscale facilities requiring robust water resources for cooling systems. Hyperscale data centers are expected to consume between 60 and 124 billion liters of water by 2028, equivalent to a mid-sized American city.
To keep pace with this demand, we are considering a nationwide Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for data centers that would eliminate pre-construction notification requirements for development sites.
On the greatest day of deregulation in U.S. history, this past Mar. 12, we announced modernized regulations for oil and gas wastewater discharges and in June, we announced our intent to update the 2024 Effluent Limitations Guidelines for Steam Electric Power Generating Units to lower energy costs while supporting sustainable water reuse, including for AI and data center cooling.
At EPA, we are looking into using AI to train internal systems that review, categorize and summarize public comments on policy proposals. Tasks that previously required months can now take minutes, streamlining rulemaking, environmental reviews and monitoring while saving tax dollars.
AI is transforming nearly every industry. U.S. data center demand is expected to grow from 25 gigawatts in 2024 to more than 80 GW of demand by 2030.
This demand for more baseload electricity is expected to grow from 3 to 4 percent to nearly 10 percent of U.S. electricity supply in 10 years according to the Energy Information Administration.
To pave the path for power plant and high-voltage equipment expansion, EPA is clarifying and streamlining the air permitting process. Our previous air quality permit guidance hadn't been updated since before modern technology emerged, when AI, semiconductor manufacturing and medical manufacturing were in their infancy.
EPA has developed a new Office of State Air Partnerships within the Office of Air and Radiation to improve state implementation plans and resolve air permitting concerns more quickly, and we are refreshing the New Source Review rules.
President Trump’s July executive order promotes using remediated Brownfield and Superfund sites under EPA’s purview for data center development.
Brownfield sites are previously developed land that may hold pollutants from previous industrial or commercial use. Superfund law requires EPA to facilitate the removal of hazardous materials and treat contaminated soil and water before returning them to productive use.
As of 2025, EPA has assisted in the cleanup of environmental contamination at nearly 45,000 properties. Our team is currently cleaning up 1,343 Superfund sites, 157 of which are on federal land and 1,186 on municipal or private land.
Remediation typically takes three to five years for Brownfields, and longer for Superfund sites, but these programs help communities return contaminated lands to productive use.
On non-federal property, the community decides what to do with the property, and data centers represent a beneficial long-term prospect.
The three-year Brownfield assessment and remediation timeline aligns well with data center development needs. McKinsey analysis shows lead times to power new data centers in large markets like Northern Virginia can exceed three years, with electrical equipment lead times reaching two years or more.
McKinsey projects that generative AI could create $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion in global economic value.
President Trump’s desire to convert Brownfields and Superfund sites into data centers promises transformation to largely low-income and disadvantaged communities seeking revitalization, job creation and long-term prosperity.
We are once again positioned to pioneer the next technological frontier. Through strategic deregulation, innovative partnerships, and environmental stewardship, EPA is helping ensure that America doesn't just participate in the AI revolution — we lead it. The same visionary spirit that built our railroads and launched us to the moon will power our journey to AI dominance.
Lee Zeldin is the 17th administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.