Western U.S. public lands draw data center proposals across 24,000 acres

Western U.S. public lands draw data center proposals across 24,000 acres
Data centers expand on public lands

Federal land across six Western states is attracting a growing pipeline of data center and related infrastructure proposals as demand for AI capacity expands. The applications span more than 24,000 acres and highlight rising tension between the Trump administration's industrial land-use agenda and local opposition over water, power and wildlife impacts.

Highlights

  • At least 35 data center-related applications are pending or active on U.S. federal land across Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.
  • Center for Western Priorities found 17 proposed data center campuses and 13 related infrastructure projects including transmission lines, pipelines, and telecommunications facilities.
  • Major developments include Prometheus Hyperscale facility applications in Wyoming and multiple Copia Power projects in Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho.

Federal land applications expand across six states

As reported by Reuters, citing Center for Western Priorities, at least 35 data center-related applications on U.S. federal land are pending or active across Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The group's analysis of U.S. Bureau of Land Management records identifies at least 17 proposed data center campuses and 13 related infrastructure projects, including transmission lines, pipelines, telecommunications facilities and access roads.

The planned developments include several applications linked to a Prometheus Hyperscale facility in Wyoming, as well as multiple projects by developer Copia Power in Arizona, Nevada and Idaho. Together, the figures point to broadening interest from developers in securing federal land for AI-related infrastructure.

Our earlier coverage of the U.S. AI data center buildout highlighted growing headwinds for developers, including rising financing costs, construction delays and constraints on available power. We also noted that investor confidence is becoming more fragile as budgets overrun and more local communities push back against new projects, raising doubts about how quickly planned capacity can be delivered.

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