Ron Wyden (D-OR)
A bill to prohibit the construction of data centers on Federal land, and for other purposes.
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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 stops the building of data centers on certain Federal land. It defines Federal land as National Forest System land and land managed by the Secretary of the Interior. It excludes specific Indian lands and lands held in trust for tribes or individual Indians. The bill also requires a reversionary clause for any Federal land given away after the bill is enacted. This clause makes the land return to the United States if it is used for a data center. An Act of Congress can make an exception to this rule.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +6
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The bill prohibits the construction of data centers on Federal land, thereby protecting public lands from this specific type of industrial development.
- Scored +4
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?
The bill places restrictions on where data centers—commonly operated by large technology companies—can be constructed on Federal land.
- Scored +3
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
By protecting federal lands near rural communities from large-scale data center construction, the bill helps preserve local natural landscapes.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Protection of Federal Land: Section 1(b) bans the construction of data centers on Federal land, which includes National Forest System land and land managed by the Secretary of the Interior. This keeps these public lands safe from being used for data centers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Restrictions on Land Conveyances: Section 1(c) requires any conveyance of Federal land after the bill is enacted to include a reversionary clause. This means if someone uses the conveyed land for a data center without specific authorization from an Act of Congress, the land goes back to the United States.
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 public land such as parks and forests? — The bill prohibits the construction of data centers on Federal land, thereby protecting public lands from this specific type of industrial development.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — The bill places restrictions on where data centers—commonly operated by large technology companies—can be constructed on Federal land.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — By protecting federal lands near rural communities from large-scale data center construction, the bill helps preserve local natural landscapes.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill imposes a federal statutory restriction prohibiting data center construction across National Forest System lands and lands managed by the Secretary of the Interior.
- 9/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Introduced in Senate