Don't Sacrifice Public Lands for Big Tech's AI Boom

America's public lands belong to the American people, not Big Tech. But the Trump administration has a different vision — one that could turn treasured landscapes into industrial hubs serving the booming artificial intelligence industry.

The Interior Department's newly released strategic plan prioritizes expanding energy production to meet AI's enormous electricity demands. Meanwhile, federal officials are considering proposals for data centers and related infrastructure spanning thousands of acres of public lands across the American West.

That's a dangerous direction for our climate, wildlife, and public lands.

AI data centers consume staggering amounts of electricity, and their rapid expansion threatens to increase reliance on fossil fuels, prolong the operation of polluting power plants, and drive construction of new natural gas facilities. They can also strain water supplies and require extensive new transmission infrastructure.

Ahead of the midterm elections, public opposition to AI data centers surged across party lines, fueled by concerns about soaring electricity bills, enormous water demands, and the environmental consequences of unchecked development.

Now, instead of protecting our shared natural heritage, the Trump administration wants to make public lands part of this industrial expansion.

We shouldn't sacrifice America's public lands to power Big Tech's profits.

Fortunately, Congress has a chance to stop it.

The No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act (H.R. 9939) would prohibit AI data centers and associated infrastructure on federal lands. More than 160 organizations have backed legislation to keep these facilities off our public lands.

And the stakes are growing. Congress is simultaneously considering the dangerous Senate permitting bill known as BAAJA, which would weaken environmental reviews and protections for endangered wildlife, clean water, and communities. As Time Magazine recently reported, the legislation could accelerate construction of fossil-fuel-powered AI data centers, including on public lands, while making it harder for communities to stop destructive projects.

AI may offer extraordinary benefits, but its growth cannot come at the expense of our climate and natural world. Big Tech must be held accountable for its environmental footprint, not rewarded with access to irreplaceable public resources.

Tell Congress: Protect our public lands from the AI industry's unchecked expansion. Support H.R. 9939!

The petition to Congress reads: America's public lands belong to the American people, not Big Tech. Pass the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act (H.R. 9939) to prohibit AI data centers and associated infrastructure on federal lands. Protect wildlife habitat, water resources, and our climate from destructive industrial development, and reject permitting rollbacks that would weaken essential environmental safeguards.

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Sources:  

https://www.doi.gov/media/document/strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2026-2030

https://westernpriorities.org/2026/11/interiors-new-strategic-plan-calls-for-selling-off-americas-public-lands

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9939