Daily Digest — July 16, 2026
Boulder City Unanimously Votes to Appeal BLM Data Center Approval
The Boulder City Council voted unanimously on July 14 to appeal the Bureau of Land Management's decision to permit an 80-acre data center on federal land within city limits, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and bouldercity.com. City Attorney Brittany Walker is tasked with filing the formal appeal with the Interior Board of Appeals by July 27, 2026.
The project, proposed by Townsite Solar 2 — a subsidiary of Skylar Capital Management — was approved by the BLM through an amendment to a pre-existing solar farm permit. As KTNV Channel 13 reported, the BLM reused an environmental assessment originally drafted for the solar project rather than conducting a new review for the data center campus. City Attorney Walker called this a "departure from previous precedent and procedure."
Key points of contention include:
- The BLM did not conduct interagency consultation or provide adequate public comment opportunities, according to city officials
- The city stands to lose an estimated $2.3 million in annual revenue from the project bypassing local land use processes
- The Boulder City Planning Commission had previously voted 6-1 in May to reject a related data center application on city-owned land from the same developer
- A Change.org petition opposing the project has gathered over 6,000 signatures, as reported by the Las Vegas Sun
Residents voiced concerns about water consumption, energy demands, heat, noise, and impacts to property values during hours of public comment, according to News 3 Las Vegas. U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., has sent a letter to BLM directors requesting robust public consultation and transparency for data center permitting processes. The Las Vegas Sun noted that similar data center moratorium discussions are underway in Reno, Nye County, and Henderson.
Townsite Solar 2 issued a statement affirming its commitment to a "responsible, sustainable project," pledging water-positive outcomes, renewable energy use, and an energy fund to reduce electricity costs for residents.
Boulder City Council to Appeal Federal Data Center Approval Amid Resident Outcry
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Boulder City appeals plan for data center on BLM land after residents protest
News 3 Las Vegas
How feds swapped a solar farm for a data center outside Boulder City
KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas
Boulder City to oppose BLM data center plan
Las Vegas Sun
City Council Unanimously Decides to Appeal BLM Data Center Decision
bouldercity.com
Indianapolis Commission Approves DC BLOX Data Center Despite Community Opposition
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-1 to approve a use variance for a DC BLOX data center project on a 32-acre former Ford plant site in the Irvington area of East Indianapolis, according to WTHR and WISH-TV. The scaled-back plan calls for two buildings with 31 generators.
The decision followed weeks of protests and hours of public testimony from East Side residents. As WTHR reported, attendees were escorted out of the meeting after shouting following the vote. Opponents cited concerns about noise pollution, energy consumption, and impacts to nearby neighborhoods, schools, and the Pennsy Trail.
City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen, a Democrat, voiced disappointment with the ruling and had supported a last-minute effort to delay the vote. Councilor Michael Paul Hart, a Republican, defended the approval, citing the site's industrial zoning and commitments to local union jobs, per WISH-TV.
The East Side Community Action group is now raising funds to hire a lawyer and appeal the commission's decision through judicial review. Separately, Marion County has advanced a proposed moratorium on new data center developments through committee — it would last until at least December 31 of next year but would not affect the already-approved DC BLOX project, as reported by WTHR. DC BLOX is also facing scrutiny for a separate proposed development near the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee.
East Indianapolis data center gets final approval
WTHR
East Indianapolis data center approved by metropolitan development commission
WTHR
Commission approves DC Blox data center project amid neighborhood opposition
WISH-TV
Irvington data center set for final vote today. Follow live updates
IndyStar
Proposed Irvington data center approved by Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission
WTHR