At least 26 data centers across the United States are currently under construction near sensitive streams and wetlands, but critics have found limited legal avenues to challenge these projects. This is due to a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act, allowing the vast majority of data center projects to proceed without obtaining federal water pollution permits. This shift has intensified environmental regulatory debates surrounding data center development. As demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing drives expansion, some projects are moving into ecologically sensitive areas—but with the federal protection of waterways now significantly reduced, local residents and environmental advocates face greater difficulty in halting or delaying such developments through existing legal processes.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870207583956041/
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