The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 18, 2025, that it will prioritize the review of submissions for new chemicals that are intended for use in data center projects or in the manufacturing of covered components, in each case, which pertain to a data center project that is a qualifying project, as defined by Executive Order (EO) 14318, "Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure." EPA states that new chemical manufacturers may also seek to prioritize the review of a new chemical under the directives of the EO if the chemical has such an intended use. To help companies determine if their chemical and intended use qualify for prioritized review, EPA has provided instructions for the best way for submitters to make their request and provide necessary information to support the request. According to EPA, companies with new chemicals qualifying for prioritized review can identify their submission as a chemical intended for use in a data center project or for the manufacturing of covered components by submitting a cover letter through the Central Data Exchange (CDX) with their new chemical submission identifying the use and the data center where the new chemical or covered component will be used. According to EPA, this prioritization of reviews will start with submissions received on or after September 29, 2025. EPA notes that while it is prioritizing the review of new chemicals related to the EO, it "is committed to reviewing all new chemical submissions in a timely manner and continues work to reduce the backlog of new chemicals under review."
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