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The Wilderness Society Calls for Moratorium on AI Data Centers on U.S. Public Lands

October 5, 2026 at 18:06 EDT

Policy & Regulation
Infra & Chips

The Wilderness Society called for an immediate moratorium on AI data centers on U.S. federal public lands, escalating a land-use fight that now sits at the center of the AI infrastructure boom. The request targets projects proposed or approved on land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, citing water demand, electricity load, wildlife habitat and public access concerns as the federal government moves to speed data center permitting.

Oct. 5, 2026 · The Wilderness Society

AI data centers meet the public lands fight

A conservation group is seeking an immediate moratorium on AI data centers on federal public lands as the government accelerates permitting and Western communities press for water, power and access details.

The fastest-growing pressure point is electricity

415 TWh

global data center electricity use in 2024

945 TWh

projected global use by 2030

Each block represents roughly 100 TWh, so the height shows the scale of the projected increase.

88.5

acres in the approved Townsite Data Center project

12+

public-land data center proposals reported across the West

17,600+

acres covered by those proposals

100 MW

threshold used for an AI Data Center Project

How the conflict moves through government

Identify land

Federal parcels enter the data center pipeline.

→

Review impacts

Water, grid load, habitat and access become the test.

→

Permit or pause

Agencies, courts and Congress decide the next step.

Argument for a pause

Supporters say public lands should prioritize conservation, recreation and access until communities get transparent environmental review.

Argument against a pause

Critics say broad moratoriums could slow internet capacity, jobs, investment and U.S. AI competitiveness.

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