Lyon County advances Monarch data center plans despite opposition from rural Nevada residents
Lyon County officials advanced plans for the Monarch Data Center on 500 acres of farmland near Yerington, despite strong opposition from local residents concerned about water, power use and the loss of agricultural land. Supporters say data centers could provide badly needed tax revenue and economic development for the financially strained rural county.
Lyon County commissioners advanced permitting for the Monarch Data Center, a proposed campus on 500 acres of farmland outside Yerington. About 200 residents attended a meeting and largely opposed the project, arguing that the county should protect its agricultural land and questioning whether the region has sufficient water and electricity to support data center growth.
County officials and developer representatives say industrial development could generate property, sales and business taxes for a county with among Nevada’s lowest per-capita revenues. Tract has acquired more than 1,000 acres in Lyon County, while Copia Power is seeking to develop the Monarch site. The area’s planned Greenlink transmission line, Walker River Substation and nearby renewable-energy projects are helping attract data center developers, but NV Energy has acknowledged that it lacks enough power currently lined up for Nevada’s anticipated influx of facilities.