The US wants to fill thousands of acres of public land with AI data centers — land records show 35 data center-related developments are planned so far (www.techradar.com)

The U.S. is seeing a surge in applications to build data centers on public land, with 35 proposals currently under consideration, according to the Center for Western Priorities. These projects benefit from lenient permitting compared to other jurisdictions, allowing developers to bypass environmental reviews. Notably, one significant proposal involves a 9,000-acre AI data center powered by small modular nuclear reactors, highlighting the massive scale of these developments. Critics, including Lauren Bogard from the Center for Western Priorities, argue that there is no inherent need to place data centers on public lands, which should prioritize community input and environmental considerations. The local response to these proposed developments has been largely negative, with residents voicing concerns about environmental impact, noise pollution, and increased water and energy usage. While the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has attempted to counter the opposition by touting potential economic benefits, such as job creation and boosts to state economies, much of the employment is temporary, diminishing once construction is complete. The friction between community concerns and the rapid push for data center construction underscores a growing anti-data center movement, calling for more robust permitting processes and local stakeholder involvement before moving forward.