WASHINGTON (AURN News) — The Trump administration is moving to eliminate a federal requirement that gives communities a voice before certain polluting facilities move into their neighborhoods.
Under a new EPA proposal, states would no longer be federally required to notify residents or collect public comments before issuing air pollution permits for some facilities classified as minor pollution sources. This could include AI data centers, landfills, steel mills and other industrial operations.
The Associated Press reported that states could still require public hearings, but many Southern and Midwestern states rely on the federal mandate.
Activists warn that communities could be left in the dark until construction is already underway.
The Trump administration says the proposal would cut red tape and return authority to states. But Black, low-income and already overburdened neighborhoods could lose one of their few opportunities to challenge additional pollution.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @ebonymcmorris & @aurnonline.
