Wilderness Society asks Congress for data center moratorium on public lands in lame duck session
The Wilderness Society this week called for a moratorium on data center development on public land and urged Congress to act in the lame duck session, according to a Heatmap Q&A published Oct. 9, 2026. Senior policy director Dan Hartinger cited proposals covering tens of thousands of acres and said project reviews so far have proceeded without additional NEPA analysis, including geotechnical surveys approved through categorical exclusions. Two bills are pending (not enacted): Rep. Rashida Tlaib's would cover federal lands including Interior, Defense and Energy property, and Sen. Ron Wyden's would ban data centers on Agriculture and Interior land.
Developers considering federal land sites face growing political and permitting risk, so siting plans should include non-federal alternatives.
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