Data Centers Face Growing Environmental and Litigation Risks
The environmental regulatory and litigation landscape for data centers has shifted. In the past several weeks, states with significant existing or planned data center development have announced new requirements affecting environmental permitting, water use, backup generation, electricity demand, and local approvals. At the same time, environmental groups are increasing their litigation toolkits — primarily, through Clean Air Act citizen suits — to challenge data centers and the power generation supporting them.
Department of Transportation Finalizes Rollback of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
On September 28, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States for model years (MYs) 2022–2031. The final rule represents one of the most significant deregulatory actions of the second Trump administration.
