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119-hr-10465119th CongressWALLET

Public Lands Accountability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

Introduced

Summary

Full environmental review for hyperscale data centers on public lands is required, with new public engagement rules and site-specific water, energy, and labor analyses. The bill defines hyperscale as 50 MW peak load or greater and bars categorical exclusions for these projects.

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  • Local communities get a minimum 45-day written comment period and at least one public hearing on draft environmental impact statements. Each EIS must analyze 10-year water and on-site generation use, 10-year cooling-system water and energy use, and cumulative effects on regional water supply and drought resilience.
  • Project applicants and the Bureau of Land Management must treat any permit, lease, or authorization for a hyperscale data center as a major federal action under NEPA. The Director may not apply categorical exclusions to these authorizations.
  • Right-of-way applications for hyperscale centers must include a workforce plan showing expected construction jobs over 5 years, how many will be filled by in-state workers, whether prevailing wages will be paid, and projected permanent jobs over 20 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Workforce plans for right-of-way permits

If enacted, applicants for a right-of-way for a hyperscale data center on public lands would have to submit a workforce plan with their application. The plan would list the number of construction jobs expected over the 5 years after the right-of-way is granted and how many of those jobs are expected to be filled by workers already living in that State. The plan would say whether construction workers will be paid prevailing wages under 40 U.S.C. 3141. The plan would also list the number of permanent jobs expected over the 20 years after the right-of-way is granted.

Stricter review for large data centers

If enacted, the bill would apply new rules to "hyperscale data centers" that have a peak load of 50 megawatts or more on public lands. Those projects would be treated as major federal actions under NEPA and would require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Each draft EIS would get at least 45 days for public comments and at least one public hearing in the affected community. The EIS would include 10-year estimates of on-site electricity-generation water use, cooling-system energy and water use, and regional water supply and drought impacts. The Bureau of Land Management would not be allowed to use categorical exclusions for these projects.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

NV • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/28/2026

  • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/15/2026

  • Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/21/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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