More than 160 groups urge Congress to bar AI data centers from federal lands
More than 160 environmental, health, consumer and religious organizations are urging Congress to ban AI data centers on federal lands and reject a permitting reform bill they say could accelerate such development. The coalition cited dozens of federal land applications and warned of impacts on environmental protections, tribal consultation and electricity demand.
Food & Water Watch said a coalition of more than 160 organizations has asked Congress to pass H.R. 9939, the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act, and reject the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. The groups argue the permitting measure could weaken environmental reviews, tribal consultation and state authority while enabling large AI data center projects on public land.
The coalition cited at least 35 Bureau of Land Management applications covering more than 24,000 acres, along with proposed projects on Defense Department land in Texas and Utah and potential Energy Department sites in Idaho, South Carolina and Tennessee. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the bill's sponsor, and advocates including Food & Water Watch policy director Jim Walsh and GreenLatinos policy adviser Andrea Marpillero-Colomina supported the ban, while the report noted growing political concerns about data centers' electricity demand and costs.