Dina Titus (D-NV)
Public Lands Accountability Act
A Democratic bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Public Lands Accountability Act. It sets clear rules for using public lands to build and run hyperscale data centers. The bill requires the Bureau of Land Management to treat any permit or lease for these data centers as a major federal action. This means projects must go through strict environmental reviews and cannot skip these steps. Companies must also share details about water and energy use, and give people a chance to speak up. Finally, companies have to submit workforce plans detailing expected jobs and wages.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill mandates that permits and leases for hyperscale data centers undergo major environmental reviews under NEPA and explicitly evaluates water and resource impacts.
- Scored +7
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The bill prohibits categorical exclusions and imposes rigorous environmental impact statements and public engagement for data center projects on public lands.
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The legislation requires structured public comment periods, public hearings, and detailed resource and workforce analyses for public land projects.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill increases regulatory burdens and mandates comprehensive environmental impact reviews and workforce reporting for commercial data center operators.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(b) gives the public a chance to give feedback on draft environmental impact statements through a written comment period of at least 45 days and at least one public hearing in the affected community. This is positive because it lets everyday people have a direct say in what happens in their local areas.
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Section 2(c) requires the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to analyze the amount of water and electricity expected to be consumed, as well as the effects on regional water supplies and drought resilience. This is beneficial because it keeps our communities informed about vital resource usage.
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Section 3 requires applicants to submit a workforce plan detailing the number of construction and permanent jobs expected to be created, how many construction jobs will go to local state residents, and whether workers will be paid prevailing wages. This helps hold officials and companies accountable for local job creation and fair pay.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2(a) and Section 2(d) make every permit, lease, or authorization for a hyperscale data center a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act and strictly ban the use of categorical exclusions. This could be viewed as a negative burden because it creates heavy bureaucratic hurdles and delays for processing project applications.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill mandates that permits and leases for hyperscale data centers undergo major environmental reviews under NEPA and explicitly evaluates water and resource impacts. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The bill prohibits categorical exclusions and imposes rigorous environmental impact statements and public engagement for data center projects on public lands.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation requires structured public comment periods, public hearings, and detailed resource and workforce analyses for public land projects. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal oversight by classifying data center authorizations on public lands as major federal actions under NEPA.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The legislation safeguards regional water supplies, drought resilience, and local community input where public lands are used for industrial projects. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill requires applicants to report whether construction workers will be compensated with prevailing wages. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill increases regulatory burdens and mandates comprehensive environmental impact reviews and workforce reporting for commercial data center operators.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill requires applicants for data center rights-of-way to submit workforce plans detailing expected construction and permanent job creation. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The legislation structures and regulates the development of hyperscale data centers, providing clear pathways for commercial infrastructure projects on public lands.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — The legislation places strict federal environmental and workforce reporting requirements specifically on commercial hyperscale data centers.
- 10/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/28/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/16/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
Jared HuffmanDemocrat · California
Val HoyleDemocrat · Oregon
Raul RuizDemocrat · California