EPA Exempts Data Center Power Plants From Acid Rain Limits as the AI Buildout Accelerates

The Trump administration issued guidance Monday exempting 'islanded' power plants that serve only data centers from the pollution program designed to prevent acid rain. The move lands as the AI buildout reshapes the power grid, with Verizon announcing a $1 billion dark fiber deal with Google and Texas lawmakers debating how much new data center load the state can absorb.