Wyden pushes to keep data centers off national forests
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon is pushing legislation that would prohibit data center construction on National Forest System land and other federal lands managed by the Interior Department. Sen. Rand Paul blocked Wyden's request to advance the bill by unanimous consent, arguing communities should retain flexibility over data center development.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is seeking to prevent data centers from being built on national forests and other lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. His bill would preserve specified tribal land exemptions and responds to a Trump administration directive encouraging agencies to make suitable federal sites available for artificial intelligence infrastructure and accelerate permitting. Wyden cited threats to public-land values, electricity demands and community impacts.
Sen. Rand Paul blocked Wyden's request for unanimous consent on Sept. 30, saying local communities should decide whether to host data centers, including in regions where the federal government owns substantial land. The interview also covered Wyden's concerns about surveillance technology and Medicaid eligibility rules, issues unrelated to the proposed data center restrictions.