How feds swapped a solar farm for a data center outside Boulder City
Boulder City officials are appealing a decision by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to approve a data center project in Eldorado Valley, Nevada. The city contends that the BLM improperly reused an environmental review for a solar farm, rather than conducting a new assessment for the data center, which has significantly different environmental impacts and power demands.
Boulder City officials and residents are challenging a decision by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to allow Townsite Solar 2, a Texas-based company, to construct a data center on an 80-acre parcel of federal land within Boulder City's jurisdiction. The controversy stems from the BLM's reuse of a 2023 environmental review, originally prepared for a 19-megawatt solar facility and battery storage site, to approve the 2026 data center proposal. Boulder City Mayor Joe Hardy expressed shock and disappointment at the Tuesday night city council meeting, stating the city was not consulted on the decision.
Attorney Brittany Walker emphasized that the BLM's action is a departure from precedent, arguing the agency approved a new land use without following federal law processes. The data center project is expected to demand up to 167 megawatts of power and include backup generators, a stark contrast to the original solar project's environmental footprint. In a unanimous vote, Boulder City elected officials agreed to formally appeal the BLM's decision to the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) and are seeking a stay to suspend the decision until the appeal can be heard on its merits. The BLM has not yet responded to inquiries regarding their decision, according to Channel 13.