Brownfields Emerge as Priority Sites for Data Centers

Federal policy is increasingly positioning brownfields and other previously developed sites as strategic locations for new data center infrastructure. The White House’s Executive Order Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure (EO 14318, July 23, 2025) directs agencies to speed reviews and approvals and to prioritize previously developed land, including cleaned-up brownfield and Superfund sites, for large-scale AI and cloud-computing facilities. The order also underscores the need to expedite projects through federal permitting processes.

This direction aligns with other 2025 Trump administration policies focused on accelerating major infrastructure delivery. The Executive Order Unleashing American Energy (EO 14154, January 2025) seeks to reduce regulatory barriers and enable rapid development of energy-intensive projects, reinforcing the federal interest in reusing underused industrial land with strong grid access.

Congressional testimony earlier this year also echoed this trend, noting that brownfields with existing utility corridors and industrial footprints are well-positioned to support the nation’s growing data center needs.

When considered holistically, these actions point to a clear trend. Federal policy and market activity are converging around the same conclusion: brownfields can provide scale, power access, and redevelopment readiness needed to support rapid deployment of digital infrastructure, positioning them as priority locations in the national data center expansion strategy.