Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. Introduces Bill to Ban Data Centers on Federal Public Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) introduced the Protecting Our Public Lands from Data Centers Act to ban the construction of new data centers and related infrastructure on federal public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.

"Public lands belong in public hands and Oregonians must have a say before the federal government hands over millions of acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for data centers," said Congresswoman Dexter. "These treasured lands are where people hunt, fish, hike and graze livestock. They are where wildlife habitat and our critical watersheds are protected. My bill keeps these lands safe from data centers now, and for the generations who come after us."

The Trump administration is opening federal public lands to data center development as demand for computing power grows. Large data centers will put pressure on local water supplies and electric grids. Some proposed campuses include their own gas-fired power plants which can have devastating impacts on air quality, noise pollution can be extreme, and fencing off these sites restricts public access and disrupts wildlife habitat.

"Data centers have no place on public lands," Randi Spivak, Public Lands Policy Director, Center for Biological Diversity. "They're water-guzzling, pollution-spewing facilities that turn lands meant for wildlife and recreation into corporate industrial sites. Once a data center goes up, hundreds to thousands of acres of wildlife habitat will be stripped bare and closed to the public for good. We're deeply grateful to Rep. Dexter for standing up to keep public lands public."

The Congresswoman's bill would prohibit the development, sale or transfer of covered federal lands nationwide for new data centers and related infrastructure. It would also require covered lands that are sold or transferred to return to public ownership if used for a data center without congressional approval.

"Our national forests and other public lands should be protected for future generations, not sold off or paved over to make way for massive commercial data centers," said Athan Manuel, Director of Lands Protection Program, Sierra Club. "Representative Dexter's legislation draws a clear line by keeping these industrial facilities and their associated infrastructure off lands managed by the Forest Service and Department of the Interior. The Sierra Club applauds Representative Dexter and Senator Wyden for standing up for our public lands and ensuring they remain protected for the people, wildlife, and communities that depend on them."

"America's public lands are national treasures, and they should be managed as a legacy for future generations, not sacrificed to make way for corporate data centers," said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director, Oregon Wild. "We strongly support Representative Maxine Dexter's legislation to protect our lands, wildlife, and clean water from data center development."

"Mt. Hood National Forest supplies drinking and irrigation water to one-third of Oregonians," said Jordan Latter, Forest Watch Program Manager, Bark. "Its protected headwaters keep our water clean, shelter endangered species, and anchor our shared identity as Oregonians. Data centers have no place here."

The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Earthjustice Action, Save Our Wild Salmon, WaterWatch of Oregon, Bark, Oregon Wild, Columbia Riverkeeper and the Oregon Data Center Defiance Coalition endorse the bill.

Read one-pager here.

Read bill text here.

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