DATA CENTER PROJECT PROPOSED ON FEDERAL LAND GETS SENT BACK TO SQUARE ONE

What happened: A federal appeals board rejected approval for the first commercial data center on U.S. public lands, affirming BLM must complete a separate environmental review before the Townsite Data Center near Boulder City, NV can proceed. Key numbers: Rejection on Oct. Why it matters: The Center for Biological Diversity says there is no precedent for a data center on federal land, and the case could shape how future projects are permitted on public lands as local opposition to data centers grows.

A federal appeals board rejected approval for the first commercial data center on U.S. public lands, affirming BLM must complete a separate environmental review before the Townsite Data Center near Boulder City, NV can proceed.

The Center for Biological Diversity says there is no precedent for a data center on federal land, and the case could shape how future projects are permitted on public lands as local opposition to data centers grows.