Policy priorities

Site-Specific Permitting

Compute growth depends on suitable sites and a predictable path to build on them. DPN advocates land-use and permitting policies aligned with local conditions so AI, high-performance computing, and digital asset facilities can locate, modernize, and expand responsibly while respecting community priorities.

By the numbers

Where development gets stuck

Federal reviews take years, while hundreds of thousands of previously developed sites sit waiting for reuse.

4.5 years

Average federal environmental impact review

From notice of intent to decision, 2010–2018

Council on Environmental Quality, EIS Timelines Report (2020)View source

450,000+

Brownfield sites in the U.S.

Estimates range up to 1 million, many suited to reuse

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyView source

16

Federal sites identified for AI data centers

By the Department of Energy in 2025

U.S. Department of Energy (2025)View source
On this page

Challenge

Compute facilities need sites with power, connectivity, and infrastructure, but getting approval means navigating overlapping zoning and permitting rules. Unclear classifications, duplicate reviews, and limited information about available infrastructure add delay and cost. Former industrial sites could be a natural fit, yet the rules often don’t account for computing uses. And facilities differ in cooling, noise, footprint, and operations, so treating every project the same misses what matters.

Approach

DPN supports frameworks that match each project to the capabilities of its site and the priorities of its community. We advocate for clear zoning classifications, coordinated agency reviews, and transparent timelines, with early engagement from host communities. We encourage the reuse of brownfields and retired industrial sites, backed by credible infrastructure assessments and policies that allow upgrades and workload changes while reviewing any material change in local impact.

Solution

DPN’s site access policy agenda centers on three priorities:

  1. Clarify Siting and Permitting

    Support clear land-use classifications, coordinated reviews, and predictable timelines, with requirements proportionate to a project’s scale and local impacts.

  2. Expand Access to Suitable Sites

    Encourage redevelopment of existing industrial properties and identify suitable public and private land with verified power, connectivity, and infrastructure.

  3. Enable Adaptable Development

    Create practical paths for retrofits, phased expansion, and changes in computing use, paired with early community engagement and review of material site impacts.

Let’s build what comes next

AI, data centers, and digital asset infastructure are reshaping demand. Help keep the grid reliable and affordable as it grows.

Join Us
Digital Power Network
Digital Power Network