Representative says federal resource plans exist but local communities should decide on data centers on BLM land

A Questioner asked the Representative what stance the federal government should take regarding proposals for data centers on Bureau of Land Management land.

The Representative said federal agencies already have resource management plans that indicate where certain uses are allowed, and argued that because the BLM does not own a power grid, decisions about data centers should reflect the preferences of the local community that would bear power and water impacts. "If a data center is going on BLM land, the power impacts or the water impacts will be to the local communities," he said, and added that federal agencies should "listen to locals" when such choices affect local infrastructure.

He acknowledged that some communities may welcome data centers and others may not; the forum did not include a formal federal decision or a recorded policy change. The exchange focused on local control and the relationship between federal land-use planning and local infrastructure capacity.