Data Center Tracker Highlights Proposed Projects on Western Public Lands
A new Data Center Tracker catalogs thousands of proposed, operating and halted data centers, including projects seeking to use public land in the western United States. The article highlights Valar Atomics' abandoned Green River, Utah, proposal and broader concerns about water use, power demand, pollution, wildlife habitat and limited community input.
A new web-based Data Center Tracker from public-lands advocates Jim and Will Pattiz maps 2,173 facilities in 49 states, including projects proposed on public land and 568 facilities reportedly stopped by local communities. The tool was created to improve transparency around a rapidly expanding data center buildout that developers and local authorities may pursue with limited public disclosure.
The article focuses on several western projects, including Valar Atomics' proposed 10,200-acre nuclear-powered facility near Green River, Utah, which the company said it was abandoning in favor of an undisclosed site elsewhere in the state. Other projects cited include the Delta Gigasite in Millard County, Utah, the Rhea Data Blacks Creek Campus near Boise, Idaho, and a possible facility near Hermiston, Oregon. Officials and conservation advocates have raised concerns about water consumption, electricity demand, pollution, impacts on aquifers and wildlife habitat, and the need for stronger public input and mitigation measures.