Public Lands Accountability Act

This bill sets rules for when the Bureau of Land Management approves permits, leases, or other authorizations for large data centers on federal public lands. Each such approval would be treated as a major federal action, which requires a full environmental impact statement, and the agency could not use categorical exclusions to skip that review. The agency would have to hold a public comment period of at least 45 days and at least one public hearing in the affected community. The environmental review would have to include estimates of the data center's water and electricity use over 10 years and its effects on regional water supply and drought resilience. Applicants for a right-of-way would also have to submit a workforce plan covering expected jobs, in-state hiring, and whether construction workers will be paid prevailing wages.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Dina Titus Democrat sponsor
• 3 cosponsors