# New Map Tracks AI Data Center Proximity to US National Parks Researchers are mapping proposed data center sites to highlight potential impacts on protected public lands. - **Source:** [Outside](https://www.outsideonline.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [technology](https://brifing.si/c/technology) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/6ab9e945-3dba-49a0-8677-ca01d55f2732 ## Mapping Infrastructure Proliferation Will Pattiz, cofounder of More Than Just Parks, has launched an interactive map tracking nationwide data center proposals. The tool identifies 2,086 total sites, with 741 currently in the proposal phase. By inputting a zip code, users can visualize proximity to protected areas, including national parks, wilderness zones, and wildlife refuges. ## Proximity to Protected Lands Research indicates that 14 proposed data centers are located within ten miles of a national park boundary. Furthermore, 38 sites are planned within 25 miles, and 131 are within 50 miles. These facilities require significant water and electricity, raising concerns about resource depletion and environmental degradation near iconic American landscapes. ## The Horseshoe Bend Project In Page, Arizona, the city sold 500 acres of land previously designated for recreation to developers for a $10 billion data center. The site sits near Horseshoe Bend and approximately five miles from the Grand Canyon National Park edge. A planning and zoning meeting regarding this controversial proposal is scheduled for November 17. ## Project Beehive Ambitions Near Price, Utah, Valar Atomics has applied for over 9,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land for a massive development. Project Beehive aims to generate 9.6 gigawatts of power using small nuclear reactors. This output exceeds the current average power production of the entire state of Utah by more than double. ## Antelope Data Center Development The Antelope Data Center in Cedar City, Utah, is a 640-acre project slated to include an on-site natural gas power plant. Located roughly 40 miles from Zion National Park, the facility has a 1.5-gigawatt capacity. The Iron County Commission officially approved a conditional use permit for this development in June 2026. ## Resource Consumption Concerns Data centers house massive server arrays and networking equipment that demand constant cooling and power. Critics argue that these projects often proceed with limited public disclosure regarding their long-term resource usage. The map aims to clarify the public benefit of these developments, which remains largely undefined for projects proposed on public lands. ## Transparency and Public Oversight Pattiz emphasizes that the goal is to provide citizens with transparent information about where big tech companies are breaking ground. By tracking developers and utility impacts, the platform empowers residents to participate in local discovery processes. This transparency is intended to help communities decide if they support specific industrial developments nearby. ## An Inflection Point Large-scale data center rollouts represent a significant turning point in American land use and infrastructure history. As these facilities become political lightning rods, the tension between technological expansion and environmental preservation intensifies. Tracking these sites allows the public to monitor how industrial growth impacts the specific places they value and protect. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/ai-data-centers-national-parks-map/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._