Digital Power Network Outlines Federal Permitting Reforms to Accelerate U.S. Energy and Digital Infrastructure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. — The Digital Power Network (DPN), the nation’s largest coalition of Bitcoin miners and digital infrastructure providers representing more than 85 percent of U.S. public Bitcoin mining hash rate, today submitted formal comments to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works ahead of its hearing titled “Hearing to Examine the Federal Environmental Review and Permitting Processes, Part II.”

In its letter to Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Members of the Committee, DPN detailed targeted federal permitting reforms needed to unlock infrastructure investment, accelerate responsible project deployment, and strengthen America’s energy and technology leadership.

“As the United States competes to lead in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and digital assets, outdated permitting frameworks cannot stand in the way of the infrastructure that underpins our economic and national security,” said Hailey Miller, Executive Director of the Digital Power Network. “Bitcoin mining and advanced data centers are not merely electricity consumers, they are active grid participants that finance new generation, enhance reliability, and accelerate clean energy deployment. Federal policy should reflect that reality.”

Bitcoin miners and AI data centers are among the largest private-sector investors in new energy generation and transmission infrastructure. Bitcoin mining operates on an estimated 55 percent renewable energy mix, while data centers have driven approximately 41 percent of all clean energy capacity added to the U.S. grid over the past decade, according to the Clean Energy Buyers Association. However, permitting delays under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act continue to constrain the buildout of generation, transmission, and computing facilities.

DPN’s submission identifies three targeted reforms that would accelerate responsible infrastructure deployment while preserving environmental protections:

• Technology-neutral NEPA reform, including expanded use of categorical exclusions for previously disturbed industrial sites;

• Explicit inclusion of Bitcoin mining under FAST-41 to ensure coordinated federal permitting alongside AI and advanced computing projects;

• Expansion and clarification of Nationwide Permit 39 (NWP 39) to include Bitcoin mining facilities where environmental impacts are minimal.

Without modernization, prolonged federal reviews risk driving infrastructure investment overseas, increasing long-term costs, and delaying the generation and transmission needed to support both households and industry. Streamlined, coordinated permitting is not about weakening environmental standards, it is about providing clarity, predictability, and timely decision-making in support of national energy security and economic growth.

DPN stands ready to serve as a resource to the Committee as Congress works to strengthen America’s energy systems and digital infrastructure through targeted permitting reform.

Read the full letter submitted to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works here.

About the Digital Power Network (DPN):

The Digital Power Network (DPN) is the largest coalition of Bitcoin miners and digital infrastructure leaders in the United States, representing over 85% of the Bitcoin hash rate among publicly traded U.S. mining companies. DPN advocates for policies that promote energy innovation, grid resilience, economic development, and the strategic role of digital assets in the 21st-century economy.