This edition of Compliance News highlights several developments shaping the environmental compliance landscape. We begin with EPA’s recent administrative extension of the Multi‑Sector General Permit (MSGP), which provides near‑term continuity while signaling that broader changes are still ahead. Our What We’re Watching section takes a closer look at what may be coming and actions facilities can take now to stay prepared. Sign up to receive future editions of Compliance News delivered straight to your inbox.
We also share perspective on the revocation of the Endangerment Findings and EPA’s growing focus on water reuse as a key strategy for AI‑driven data centers—including EPA’s Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) to advance permitting of innovative water reuse technologies for data center cooling, an effort Brown and Caldwell (BC) has been supporting.
Across all of these topics, BC’s Compliance and Permitting team, along with technical specialists from across the firm, are closely tracking developments and ready to support clients as regulatory expectations continue to evolve.
On February 12, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revoked its 2009 Endangerment Finding, which had concluded that six greenhouse gases pose a risk to public health and welfare and formed the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. With this action, EPA no longer has authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and engines under that framework.
Why it matters:
The revocation of the Endangerment Finding changes the federal regulatory landscape, but it does not change the underlying risks facing organizations or the expectations of investors, customers, and communities. For public‑ and private‑sector entities, the focus remains on understanding applicable local, state, and international requirements, managing climate‑related risks, and making informed investments that support long‑term resilience and performance.
In January 2026, EPA highlighted water reuse as a key strategy for meeting the rapidly growing cooling demands of AI‑driven data centers, using its Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) to assess how existing state reuse regulations support or limit these projects. The agency is focusing on convening states, utilities, and the technology sector, sharing case studies, and identifying regulatory or policy gaps rather than introducing new federal reuse requirements. EPA has pointed to reuse for industrial cooling as a way to reduce pressure on potable and groundwater supplies, particularly in water‑stressed regions.
Why it matters:
For public sector entities, this reinforces continued federal support for reclaimed water projects tied to economic development, with added emphasis on permitting pathways and community engagement. For private sector operators (particularly data center owners and industrial users), water reuse is increasingly framed as both a resource planning strategy and a factor in regulatory and stakeholder discussions.
A key barrier to implementation has been inconsistent state regulations for industrial cooling reuse. EPA is looking to build on precedents in Virginia and California to help guide states lacking clear reuse frameworks and streamline permitting for new industrial reuse projects.