Digital Power Network Submits Recommendations to Senate Energy Committee on Modernizing BLM Land-Use Policies Under FLPMA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. — The Digital Power Network (DPN), the nation’s largest coalition of Bitcoin miners and digital infrastructure providers, representing more than 85% of the U.S. public Bitcoin mining hashrate, submitted a detailed statement to the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee today as part of the Committee’s hearing on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) land-use planning process under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA).
Read the full letter here.
In its statement for the record, DPN urges Congress and the Department of the Interior to modernize federal land-use and permitting frameworks to reflect the needs of the rapidly expanding digital infrastructure economy, including Bitcoin mining, artificial intelligence (AI) computing, and flexible data center operations.
“BLM plays a pivotal role in America’s energy future, and outdated policies are now slowing down innovation, grid expansion, and economic development,” said Hailey Miller, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy at the Digital Power Network. “Modernizing the FLPMA framework to account for digital infrastructure will strengthen grid reliability, reduce environmental impacts, and ensure the United States, not foreign adversaries, leads the next era of energy and compute.”
Key recommendations in DPN’s submission include:
1. Explicitly recognizing data centers, including AI and Bitcoin mining facilities, as authorized uses under FLPMA.
Updating statutory and regulatory definitions would provide clarity for rights-of-way (ROW) approvals and create a predictable pathway for siting digital infrastructure on federal lands.
2. Modernizing the interpretation of “beneficial use.”
Current interpretations exclude or delay digital infrastructure projects, despite their role in supporting grid flexibility, economic development, and responsible energy use.
3. Accelerating permitting for brownfield redevelopment.
DPN urges BLM to prioritize the reuse of previously disturbed lands by streamlining ROW approvals, applying NEPA categorical exclusions where appropriate, and designating agency liaisons for brownfield projects.
4. Providing liability protections for developers operating on contaminated sites.
Clearer federal safe harbors would reduce investment risk and encourage the cleanup and repurposing of degraded land while avoiding unnecessary greenfield development.
5. Proactively inventorying and marketing BLM-controlled brownfields.
A national inventory of viable sites would help accelerate clean energy and digital infrastructure deployment while revitalizing rural and underserved communities.
6. Leveraging Bitcoin mining to reduce methane waste.
Mobile Bitcoin mining systems can reduce methane emissions by up to 99% by using stranded natural gas, aligning with BLM’s updated Methane and Waste Prevention Rule and supporting responsible resource development.
Modern Digital Infrastructure = Stronger American Energy Security
DPN’s statement underscores that Bitcoin miners, AI operators, and next-generation data centers are not merely energy consumers, they are energy investors. These facilities fund grid upgrades, expand generation, support rural economies, and provide essential flexible load that stabilizes the grid during periods of stress. In 2023 alone, Bitcoin miners curtailed nearly 888 GWh of demand through demand-response programs, according to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.
“The United States cannot remain competitive in AI, high-performance computing, and blockchain without clear, timely, and efficient land-use policies,” said Miller. “Smart permitting reform will unlock billions in private investment, accelerate renewable deployment, and strengthen America’s national security posture.”
About the Digital Power Network (DPN):
The Digital Power Network (DPN) is the largest coalition of Bitcoin miners and digital infrastructure leaders in the United States, representing over 85% of the Bitcoin hash rate among publicly traded U.S. mining companies. DPN advocates for policies that promote energy innovation, grid resilience, economic development, and the strategic role of digital assets in the 21st-century economy.