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Comment period

Draft area-specific general order for data centers

Air quality general orders

Aug. 21, 2025, 12 a.m. - Sept. 28, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PT

We propose a new air quality general order for some data centers. This new draft general order is for data centers near East Wenatchee, Malaga, and Quincy that use emergency generators powered by diesel.

The draft area-specific general order:

  • Regulates emissions from future data centers.
  • Requires an applicant to meet specific conditions and compliance measures.
  • Limits installation to up to 21 emergency diesel engines. Each engine must not be higher than 4,423 brake horse power (bhp).

These requirements are designed to make sure that any increase in air pollution from a new or modified source of air pollutants is minimized.

Emissions from these emergency generators include both criteria air pollutants and toxic air pollutants. These emissions will increase up to:

  • Ammonia (NH3) – 0.26 tons per year
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) – 2.04 tons per year
  • Diesel engine exhaust particulate (DEEP) – 0.17 tons per year
  • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – 2.39 tons per year
  • Nitrogen oxides (NOx) – 23.85 tons per year
  • Particulate matter (PM)
    • PM2.5 – 1.61 tons per year
    • PM10 – 1.61 tons per year
  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2) – 0.47 tons per year
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – 1.44 tons per year

Documents for review:

Supporting document:

We determined this proposal satisfies the requirements of Chapter 173-400 WAC. We plan to approve the general order.

Tentative public hearing

(if requested by September 9, 2025, 11:59 p.m.)
Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 6 p.m.

We will hold a public hearing online if there is significant public interest. If we do not receive significant written requests for a public hearing by September 9, 2025, then the online public hearing will be cancelled. We will update this web page either cancelling the public hearing or with a link to the public hearing.

To comment by September 28, 2025, use one of the ways listed below.

To find out if there are more records for this project, contact our Public Records Office.

This notice was posted on August 21, 2025.

Background

An air quality general order is a group permit that simplifies the air permitting process. When several sources of air pollution are similar, we can issue a “general order” for all the sources, rather than a series of individual permits.

Data centers, sometimes called server farms, house the servers that manage email, store data, and run apps (computer or mobile). If you shop on the web or use social media, store photos in "the cloud," or use AI (artificial intelligence), your information passes through a data center. Most of the data centers regulated by Ecology are located in Quincy and the Wenatchee area because those areas have dependable, lower cost electricity. Sign up for email updates about data centers.

 

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Comment by mail

Philip Gent
Washington State Department of Ecology
Air Quality Program
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
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Questions

Philip Gent
Air Quality Program Section Manager
philip.gent@ecy.wa.gov
360-918-6922
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