US weighs 35 data center projects on public land, land records show

The US Bureau of Land Management is considering 35 data center-related applications on public land in the western US, according to a tracker from the Center for Western Priorities based on BLM land records. Of these, 17 are data center campuses and 13 are supporting infrastructure for AI data centers; one project in eastern Utah spans more than 9,000 acres and would be powered by small modular nuclear reactors.

• 35 applications: 17 campuses, 13 infrastructure projects, 5 unclassified
• Largest cited project in Utah covers over 9,000 acres
• It would be powered by small modular nuclear reactors
• Conservation group calls for public input and environmental review