Big Tech Asked for Looser Clean Water Act Permitting. Trump Wants to Give It to Them

The Trump administration recently proposed environmental policy changes aimed at easing Clean Water Act permitting requirements for data centers, reflecting lobbying efforts by major tech companies. Specifically, the administration’s AI Action Plan includes recommendations to streamline the permitting process under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates discharges into federally protected waters during construction or operation. The Data Center Coalition (DCC), representing industry giants like Google and Amazon Web Services, along with Meta, had earlier requested these changes to reduce regulatory burdens, including exemptions from pre-construction notifications that help regulators assess environmental impacts before projects begin. Section 404 permits, known as 404 permits, are typically required for activities such as filling wetlands or redirecting streams, and obtaining them can be costly and time-consuming. Nationwide permits, which cover certain activities with less federal review and public participation, currently exist for various industries and construction types, including some buildings like stores and schools. Data centers sometimes fall under these existing permits but face more detailed scrutiny if their projects impact more