Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure
Directs expedited permitting for data center construction on federal land and near federal power facilities, reflecting the massive increase in computing demand driven by AI.
Section by Section
What each section does, and how they differ.
Expedites permitting for data center projects to support AI and computing infrastructure development.
Defines qualifying projects, project sponsors, and related terms for data center permitting acceleration.
Specifies data centers using 30+ megawatts of electrical capacity, cooling systems, and supporting infrastructure as eligible for expedited permitting.
Directs agencies to coordinate environmental reviews and establish new categorical exclusions for data center construction.
Requires interagency coordination through the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to streamline reviews and reduce duplication.
Authorizes the FPISC Executive Director to designate qualifying projects as transparency or covered projects under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act for expedited review.
Directs EPA to modify relevant environmental regulations to expedite permitting and identify Brownfield and Superfund sites suitable for data center development.
Requires programmatic Endangered Species Act consultation for common data center construction activities and directs Army Corps to review nationwide permits for efficiency.