Feds pause Boulder City data center project
The US Interior Board of Land Appeals has issued a temporary stay, pausing a data center project in Boulder City, Nevada, after an appeal argued inadequate environmental analysis. This decision is a win for local residents who have opposed the project due to environmental concerns.
The US Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) has issued a temporary stay, pausing a proposed data center project in Boulder City, Nevada. This decision comes after an appeal filed by Patrick Donahue from the Center of Biological Diversity, who argued that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had approved the project without adequate environmental analysis. The IBLA stated that the appellants are likely to succeed in their case, prompting the expedited appeals process.
The project, originally proposed in 2023 by an unnamed company as a solar plant with a storage system, was later changed to a data center. Despite this change, the BLM approved the data center proposal. Local residents have actively opposed the project, expressing concerns about its impact on the environment and the health of the local community. The current stay halts the project until at least September 21st, pending the submission of a briefing schedule, and it remains uncertain whether the project will be fully terminated or allowed to proceed. The company involved maintains that they are complying with all environmental requirements.