JEROME, Idaho — A data center is in preliminary discussions for the desert of Jerome and Lincoln counties — the same area proposed for the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project.
WATCH | Data center eyed for Jerome, Lincoln desert where Lava Ridge stalled
The Bureau of Land Management Twin Falls District confirmed a data center on about 3,000 acres of public lands south of Shoshone Butte is in pre-application as of January 2026.
The company behind the Falcon Data Center, east of Highway 93 in the vicinity of Notch Butte, is Copia Digital LLC. The company has been discussing the proposal with the BLM ahead of an official notice of intent, which will initiate the public scoping process and National Environmental Protection Act review.
Jerome County Commissioner Ben Crouch took part in scoping meetings for the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project and says he expects the process for a data center on public lands to be similar.
"Personally, I'm against the data centers in Jerome County," Crouch said.
"Frankly, we haven't got the water. We don't have the electric electricity and we also know where Lava Ridge went, so we're gonna have a lot of support behind us to fight this thing," Crouch said.
This is the same area where the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project stalled, along with other proposals. The area is hot for development, largely due to the presence of the Midpoint Substation, an energy transmission hub connecting the Mountain West with the West Coast.
"Yeah, it's a tiring process and then we're expecting more people to keep trying it," Crouch said.
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When I asked whether she got the sense this would keep happening, Lincoln County Commissioner Rebecca Wood said it would.
"Very much so I know it's going to keep happening because we have midpoint substation right near us," Wood said.
Wood told me county commissioners can play an advisory role, but the power to approve or deny projects on public lands happens higher up the food chain.
"It's going to come down to the governor and the US senators really being in touch with the presidency," Wood said.
Jerome and Lincoln counties are among the entities invited to be cooperating agencies in the NEPA review for two different projects that are further along: the Snake River Energy Solar Farm and its Ada County companion project, the Rhea Data Center.
"It does not mean you agree with it. All it means is that you get a seat at the table so you get to help them make some decisions on what is environmentally necessary for the NEPA process and and give your opinions and stuff so it's always good to have a seat at the table," Wood said.
If the proposal advances to the next stage of the process, additional information about the project and applicant will be made available to the public. BLM said they are at least a year away from the formal notice of intent and public scoping process.
Idaho News 6 has reached out to Copia Digital to learn more about their proposal but have not yet heard back.
- This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
