Thousands of acres of public land south of Boise eyed for new data center
A subsidiary of Arevia Power, Rhea Data, has proposed a massive data center spanning 3,700 acres of federal public land south of Boise, Idaho. The Bureau of Land Management is in the early stages of reviewing the proposal, which includes a 4 million-square-foot facility with 600 megawatts of capacity. The Sierra Club and Boise Mayor Lauren McLean have voiced opposition due to environmental concerns and the use of public lands.
Rhea Data, a subsidiary of Nevada-based Arevia Power, has proposed a massive data center project on approximately 3,700 acres of federal public land south of Boise, Idaho. Preliminary details confirm the plan includes a 4 million-square-foot facility with 600 megawatts of data-processing capacity.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has received the proposal and emphasizes that it is in its early stages, subject to change. The BLM will conduct an environmental review and offer opportunities for public input before any final decisions are made.
Opposition has already emerged, with Lisa Young, director of the Idaho chapter of the Sierra Club, expressing concerns about the project's impact on the currently undeveloped public lands and surrounding resources. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean also weighed in, stating that "public lands should stay in public hands" and calling for a statewide framework to address the impacts of large data centers before such projects are considered. Rhea Data has not yet commented on the proposal.