New chemicals used to build data centers will soon be allowed to skip to the front of the line for reviews under an initiative boosting President Donald Trump’s push to fast-track permitting processes for artificial intelligence infrastructure and other new technologies.
By the end of September, EPA will offer an “expeditious review of new chemicals” intended for use in data center development, according to an agency statement released Thursday. Chemical manufacturers have the option to apply for “priority status” for chemicals that meet the criteria.
“We inherited a massive backlog of new chemical reviews from the Biden Administration which is getting in the way of projects as it pertains to data center and artificial intelligence projects,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in the statement.
That review backlog has existed for years, even before 2016 when Congress amended the Toxic Substances Control Act. The statutory updates mandated that EPA review a new chemical or significant new chemical use before it entered the market.
