【文章标题】：U.S. gov’t moves to suppress pushback on data centers 【文章标题】：美国政府采取行动压制对数据中心的反对声音
【文章正文】： U.S. gov’t moves to suppress pushback on data centers by removing requirements for public input on pollution — EPA change would allow air pollution permits without publicizing them 【文章正文】： 美国政府通过取消公众对污染问题的意见征询要求，采取行动压制对数据中心的反对声音——环保署的变更将允许在不公开的情况下发放空气污染许可证
States would then need to choose if they want to solicit public feedback for permits. 届时，各州将需要自行决定是否就许可证问题征求公众意见。
The U.S. government is looking to move a critical transparency step in the approval of data centers behind closed doors. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has plans to remove a requirement that forces states to seek public feedback on applications for air pollution permits, as reported by The New York Times. The change, if it goes into effect, would apply to a subset of air pollution permits. However, the primary concern is around data centers, as local communities seek to delay, or outright ban, AI data center construction. 美国政府正试图将数据中心审批过程中的一个关键透明度环节转入暗箱操作。据《纽约时报》报道，美国环境保护署（EPA）计划取消一项强制要求各州就空气污染许可证申请征求公众意见的规定。这项变更一旦生效，将适用于部分空气污染许可证。然而，主要担忧集中在数据中心上，因为当地社区正试图推迟甚至全面禁止人工智能数据中心的建设。
The latest proposal applies to permits for a “minor source” of air pollution, which includes landfills, laundromats, steel mills, and, of course, data centers. However, recent analysis of the expansion of AI data centers suggests that environmental impact is growing. The Harvard School of Public Health estimated that the Vantage data center in Loudoun County, Virginia, contributed between 99 million in annual health damages, the largest estimate for any single facility ever. 最新提案适用于“次要污染源”的空气污染许可证，其中包括垃圾填埋场、自助洗衣店、钢铁厂，当然还有数据中心。然而，近期对人工智能数据中心扩张的分析表明，其环境影响正在日益加剧。哈佛公共卫生学院估计，位于弗吉尼亚州劳登县的Vantage数据中心每年造成的健康损害损失在5300万至9900万美元之间，这是迄今为止对单一设施造成的最高估算值。
In another example, the analysis conducted by researcher Michael Cork directly influenced a proposal in Fluvanna County, Virginia, to expand a fossil fuel plant. The expansion was ultimately denied based on the findings from the analysis that “shaped the public discussion leading up to the… vote.” 在另一个例子中，研究员迈克尔·科克（Michael Cork）进行的分析直接影响了弗吉尼亚州弗卢万纳县一项扩建化石燃料工厂的提案。基于该分析的发现“塑造了……投票前的公众讨论”，该扩建计划最终被否决。
The proposal from the EPA would remove, or at least create the opportunity for states to remove, the public discussion that shapes these decisions. The EPA’s stance has been that these minor sources don’t require federal oversight. However, there’s a clear gap when a federal agency decides to stop enforcing federal rules and asks states to step in to make their own decisions. 环保署的提案将取消，或至少为各州取消塑造这些决策的公众讨论创造机会。环保署的立场是，这些次要污染源不需要联邦监管。然而，当一个联邦机构决定停止执行联邦法规并要求各州介入自行决策时，其中存在明显的漏洞。
The Attorneys General from 14 states and three cities signed an open letter opposing the change, writing, “despite the name, even ‘minor’ sources can pose significant health and environmental impacts.” The letter suggests that removing the required publicization of permit applications and 30-day comment period “sidelines these fundamental transparency and democratic safeguards in the name of administrative expediency and relieving regulatory burdens, particularly for accelerating the buildout of data centers and other artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.” 来自14个州和3个城市的总检察长签署了一封反对该变更的公开信，信中写道：“尽管名为‘次要’，但即便是‘次要’污染源也可能对健康和环境造成重大影响。”公开信指出，取消强制公开许可证申请和30天意见征询期的做法，“以行政便利和减轻监管负担为名，将这些基本的透明度和民主保障措施边缘化，尤其是为了加速数据中心和其他人工智能（AI）基础设施的建设。”
Although the EPA requires a public comment period after an air pollution permit application, the process has been circumvented in some cases. 尽管环保署要求在提交空气污染许可证申请后设立公众意见征询期，但在某些情况下，这一程序已被规避。
In Gilroy, California, an Amazon data center began construction last month without the knowledge of many residents. A years-long approval process between the city and Amazon meant the public comment period had lapsed two years before construction began, leaving the public little time to react. In another case, residents of Festus, Missouri sued the city, arguing that it didn’t give the public enough time to review a data center proposal before moving forward with it. 在加利福尼亚州吉尔罗伊，一个亚马逊数据中心于上个月在许多居民不知情的情况下开始动工。该市与亚马逊之间长达数年的审批过程意味着，公众意见征询期在动工前两年就已失效，导致公众几乎没有时间做出反应。在另一起案例中，密苏里州费斯特斯的居民起诉了市政府，理由是市政府在推进数据中心提案前，没有给公众留出足够的审查时间。
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With the EPA’s proposed change, responsibility for regulating data centers is placed on the states. Current environmental law allows states to impose stricter environmental standards than the federal minimum, provided the state does not fall below it. The EPA change would allow a state to eliminate the public comment period, since it’s not required by federal law. 随着环保署提出这项变更，监管数据中心的责任被下放给了各州。现行环境法允许各州实施比联邦最低标准更严格的环境标准，前提是该州的标准不低于联邦标准。环保署的变更将允许各州取消公众意见征询期，因为联邦法律并未对此作出强制要求。
Currently, a public comment period is still required. The proposed change would go into effect within the next year. 目前，公众意见征询期仍是必需的。拟议的变更将在未来一年内生效。
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Jake Roach is the Senior CPU Analyst at Tom’s Hardware, writing reviews, news, and features about the latest consumer and workstation processors. 杰克·罗奇（Jake Roach）是Tom’s Hardware的高级CPU分析师，负责撰写关于最新消费级和工作站处理器的评测、新闻和专题文章。
criticaloftom Yeah because that will stop those damn protesters. meanwhile crowd Silently rolls out guillotine and molotov cocktailsReply
criticaloftom 是啊，因为那就能阻止那些该死的抗议者了。与此同时，人群默默地推出了断头台和燃烧瓶回复
-Fran- Of the Shareholders, by the Shareholders and for the Shareholders. ‘MURRICA!Reply
Lincoln must be crying in heaven, heck.
Regards.
-Fran- 属于股东、依靠股东、为了股东。‘美利坚’！回复
林肯在天堂肯定得哭死，哎。
此致。
blppt Oh this is a great idea for popularity.Reply
Meanwhile, even GREG ABBOTT has flipped 180 on his bullish data center push, realizing what a hotbed this topic is at the moment.
blppt 噢，这真是个提升人气的好主意。回复
与此同时，就连格雷格·阿博特（GREG ABBOTT）也对他大力推动数据中心建设的立场来了个180度大转弯，因为他意识到这个话题目前有多么敏感和激烈。