TMRPA adopts FY2025–26 strategic work plan and schedules review of regional role on energy and data centers

The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency governing board on June 12 approved the agency's fiscal year 2025–26 strategic work plan, which includes a directed review of TMRPA’s role in the energy sector and a public engagement process to gather input on high‑energy‑use facilities such as data centers.

Jeremy Smith, TMRPA director, presented the plan and said the agency will track and report progress using an “agency report card” tied to specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time‑bound (SMART) goals. Smith described four strategic goal areas: regulatory duties, regional coordination, data and analytics, and general administration, and said the plan codifies work that has grown from the 2019 regional plan update and subsequent natural‑resource and infrastructure products.

On energy and data centers specifically, Smith told the board staff have begun a research effort and will start public engagement as early as July to collect stakeholder input and build a shared information base about approvals, energy demand and siting. “I plan to start the public engagement, next month and get that scoped and start getting feedback,” Smith said. He urged coordination with local jurisdictions, affected entities and state agencies to ensure TMRPA can provide useful information without overstepping statutory roles.

Public commenters urged urgency and broad engagement. Bill Miller, a resident, urged the board to adopt Smith’s recommendations and to move aggressively to regulate data center siting and energy sourcing, saying in part, “I again urge you to accept doctor Smith's strategic work plan and encourage you to move as quickly and aggressively as possible to sensibly regulate this onslaught of data centers.” Kathy Fulkerson, facilitator for Third Act Nevada, told the board she supported elevating the energy review as a regional urgent priority and praised the SMART goal framing and data‑analytics emphasis. Robin Palmer, a public commenter, said she strongly supported creating and administering a public engagement process to solicit feedback and suggested TMRPA take a leading coordination role among jurisdictions.

Smith traced the origins of the effort to work begun during the regional plan update (2016–2019) and to follow‑on natural resources and public‑infrastructure documents adopted in 2024. He said state law defines some of TMRPA’s formal responsibilities—for example, regional review applies for certain power transmission and generation projects—but staff intend to clarify the agency’s “regulatory lane” and to assemble data and mapping to inform local land‑use decisions and public discussion. Smith said staff will also pursue a memorandum of understanding with the State Public Charter School Authority on a separate coordination task identified in the plan.

Board members asked about timing; Smith said he expected to begin public engagement in July and suggested October as a reasonable milestone to have a “really good handle” on possible policy approaches and public feedback ahead of conferences and upcoming jurisdictional decision points. Legal counsel said she would continue work with the State Public Charter School Authority on a draft MOU and intended to bring a package related to director evaluation and the agency report card back to the board in August.

A motion by Naomi Duer to approve the strategic work goals carried unanimously. Board members and commenters urged that staff treat the energy/data‑center review with urgency and involve community stakeholders and local jurisdictional staff in drafting any recommended policy edits to the regional plan.