the air force is offering space

The U.S. Air Force has issued requests for proposals to lease space for AI data centers at Eielson Air Force Base near North Pole, Clear Space Force Station in the Interior, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. In response, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly took up a legislative priority asking the State of Alaska to halt all permitting, leasing, or construction of commercial AI data centers on state-owned and municipal lands until Alaska adopts standards for electricity use, water consumption, and environmental impact.

Salcha resident Sarah Hollister told the Assembly the state needs clear guidelines before tech conglomerates come knocking at its door, a sentiment that framed much of the discussion.

Alaska's elected leaders are split. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has promoted data centers as anchor customers for the Alaska LNG project. Sen. Dan Sullivan supports siting them on military installations, citing the infrastructure improvements the bases would receive in the process. Sen. Lisa Murkowski opposes the push, saying Railbelt utilities serving Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, and Fairbanks cannot handle the added power demand or the financial costs.

The same Assembly meeting also considered tying homeschool allotments to mandatory participation in the AK STAR state assessment. A motion to remove that item from the legislative priority list failed on a 4-3 vote, one short of the five votes needed.