Cheyenne City Council To Discuss New Data Center Moratorium Tonight At 6 P.M.

The Cheyenne City Council is scheduled to introduce an ordinance on its first reading tonight, proposing a 12-month moratorium on new data centers within the city. The initiative, sponsored by Ward III councilman Mark Moody, will require three readings before the full council and a referral to the Public Service Committee. The stated purpose of the moratorium is to grant city staff sufficient time to assess the various impacts of data centers and formulate recommendations for the Governing Body concerning revisions to existing ordinances, codes, and regulations. This pause would specifically affect the commencement of construction and permits for new data centers, but would not apply to current facilities or those already under construction. While data centers, including a Microsoft facility opened in 2012, have historically operated without significant public notice, a surge in proposed projects could bring the total number of facilities to nearly 70. This potential growth, alongside plans for a 3,200-acre expansion by Microsoft, has fueled local apprehension. Opponents are raising concerns primarily over water and electricity consumption, despite Wyoming's favorable climate and energy costs attracting developers.