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Current proposal fails to consider all pollution and denies the public its lawful hearing
In comments submitted today to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), Sierra Club argues that Meta’s most recent air permit revisions trigger major-source permit requirements despite the tech conglomerate attempting to maintain a “minor source” permit while adding even more polluting equipment to its Hyperion site. Sierra Club also urged LDEQ commissioners to hold a public hearing on the permit revision that will release significant pollution into communities surrounding what will be the largest data center in the world.
LDEQ approved Meta’s initial minor source air permit in July of 2025 for operating 31 diesel emergency generators, a diesel fire pump, and diesel belly storage tanks (the application and comments refer to Laidley, a Meta subsidiary). Now Meta wants to modify this permit, adding 44 fossil-fuel water boilers that will operate and emit pollutants around the clock. Because this would send total pollution for the permit beyond the minor-source permit limits, Meta said that — instead of applying for a major source permit as required by the Clean Air Act — it simply wouldn’t count emissions from the previously approved 31 diesel generators when those are operating during emergency hours. LDEQ has so far indicated it is satisfied with this reasoning, and Sierra Club is now urging LDEQ that it must consider emissions from those diesel generators running during emergency operations.
