US Government Approves Nevada AI Data Center and $874M Semiconductor Subsidies

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved an 86‑acre AI data center near Lake Mead in Nevada, marking the first such facility on public land. The project, proposed by Townsite Solar 2, would replace desert habitat with server racks and power infrastructure and is justified under a 2025 Trump executive order to speed data‑center approvals.

Separately, the Department of Commerce announced letters of intent totaling $874 million for seven semiconductor companies developing AI and advanced‑computing technologies. The funding includes up to $300 million for GlobalFoundries, $245 million for Kepler, and $140 million for Multibeam, with the government receiving non‑controlling minority ownership stakes in each firm.