November 6th, 2026Heinrich Demands Answers on Trump Administration’s Push to Build Data Centers on Public Lands

Heinrich: “I am extremely concerned with the Trump administration's actions to develop data centers on public lands.” WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, raised the alarm on the Trump administration’s push to develop AI data centers on public lands, demanding answers from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Steve Pearce on the agency’s actions to greenlight data center buildout. “I am extremely concerned with the Trump administration’s actions to develop data centers on public lands,” Heinrich began. Heinrich’s letter follows his online post earlier today stating simply, “No data centers on public lands. Period.” Heinrich's letter to Pearce comes after multiple actions from the Trump administration to develop data centers on public lands, including the June 2026 BLM approval of the 88-acre Townsite Data Center in Boulder City, Nevada. While the project was paused by the Department of the Interior’s Board of Land Appeals in September 2026, its approval was initially spurred by a 2025 Trump Executive Order that expedited the permitting of data center development on public lands. BLM is now reportedly considering at least 15 proposals to build data centers or related infrastructure on public lands, covering more than 17,000 acres of public lands and stretching across six Western states. According to the Salt Lake Tribune , BLM asked state directors to identify public lands ready for data center development — something the Department of the Interior’s leadership told officials is a high priority. “When BLM makes decisions about public land, it should always consider the best interest of the public and the communities that will be directly impacted by its decision,” Heinrich wrote. “BLM should listen to the voices of the American people and carefully consider the many uses of public land before hastily greenlighting data center buildout on public lands,” Heinrich continued. In the letter, Heinrich specifically requests a complete list of all authorities BLM is using to support data center development on public lands, all data center-related development proposals BLM is considering on public lands, and the public lands BLM has identified that are eligible for data center development. Read the full letter here and below. Director Pearce: I am extremely concerned with the Trump administration’s actions to develop data centers on public lands. In June 2026, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved the first data center on public lands—the sprawling 88-acre Townsite Data Center located in Boulder City, Nevada. At the time, BLM amended an existing right-of-way grant for a solar and battery-storage project to allow for the development of the data center. On September 1, following an appeal by Boulder City, Nevada, and environmental groups, the Department of the Interior’s Board of Land Appeals paused development of the data center, citing BLM’s decision to approve the project without conducting a new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. The Board found that Boulder City and the environmental groups “made a persuasive showing that BLM violated NEPA and acted arbitrarily or capriciously when it determined that the data center project is ‘substantially the same’ as the solar plant project for purposes of its NEPA analysis.” BLM’s decision to approve the Townsite Data Center followed an Executive Order signed by President Trump in July 2025 that expedited the permitting of data centers on public lands. In September, the President signed another Executive Order that grants Secretary Burgum additional independent authorities over energy production on public lands. BLM is now reportedly considering at least 15 proposals to build data centers or related infrastructure on public lands. The development proposals cover more than 17,000 acres of public lands and stretch across six western states. According to a report, BLM recently asked state directors to identify public lands ready for data center development and the Department of the Interior’s leadership told officials that the topic is high priority. When BLM makes decisions about public land, it should always consider the best interest of the public and the communities that will be directly impacted by its decision. The Multiple Use – Sustained Yield principle of public land management requires the BLM to consider the other uses of public land when considering whether to site a data center in any specific location. BLM should listen to the voices of the American people and carefully consider the many uses of public land before hastily greenlighting data center buildout on public lands. In light of questions and concerns about BLM’s review of data center development proposals on public lands and related actions, I request you provide the following information by November 20, 2026: A complete list of all authorities BLM is using to support data center development on public lands. Please include the specific precedent and legal rationale. A complete list of all data center related development proposals BLM is considering on public lands. For each proposal, please include the specific entity that is backing the project; the precise location of the project; the total acreage of federally owned land under review for development; the precise use of the federally owned land under review for development (e.g., for transmission lines, roads, or physical data center structures); whether the review will entail a NEPA review, or in the case of an existing right-of-way grant, a new NEPA review; and whether the proposal will have a public comment period. A complete list of all public lands BLM has identified that are eligible for data center development. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my staff at (202) 224-4971. Sincerely, ###