BLM Reviews at Least 12 Public Land Data Center Projects Across 6 States

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 18, records of relevant land use right applications at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management show that at least 12 data center and supporting infrastructure projects in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming have entered the federal public land application and review process, involving a total land area of at least 17,600 acres. The projects include large-scale data centers, power supply facilities, and energy infrastructure supporting the data centers.

Among the existing applications, the project near Green River, Utah, is the largest. Nuclear energy startup Valar Atomics has applied to use approximately 10,200 acres of federal public land and plans to build a data center and supporting small nuclear reactor facilities. The company is also advancing another data center and nuclear energy co-development plan in Utah called "Raceway Gigasite."

The Idaho project was proposed by Rhea Data, a subsidiary of Arevia Power. It has applied to use approximately 3,226 acres of federal land south of Boise and plans to build multiple data center buildings with a construction area of approximately 4 million square feet. Arizona currently has at least 4 related projects, Nevada at least 3, and Oregon at least 1, with Copia Power participating in at least 4 of the projects.

On July 23, 2025, the United States signed Executive Order No. 14318, including AI data centers with new loads exceeding 100 MW within the scope of key infrastructure projects. The executive order requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy to identify federal land available for the development of data centers and supporting energy facilities, and to advance environmental reviews, transmission facilities, natural gas infrastructure, power equipment, and related permitting procedures.

In June of this year, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved the Townsite Data Center project in Nevada. The project uses approximately 88.5 acres of public land near the existing Townsite Solar 1 photovoltaic project for the construction, operation, and maintenance of data center facilities. The project has obtained an approved decision from the Bureau of Land Management. (blm.gov)