Wyoming Business Council Giving $50,000 So Tribe Can Study Data Centers

The Wyoming Business Council recently approved a $50,000 grant for the Northern Arapaho Tribe to conduct a feasibility study for a potential large climate-controlled data center on the Wind River Indian Reservation. This initiative aims to attract critical applications and data for companies, promising much-needed jobs and economic development to an area with high unemployment and declining traditional employment sectors. The project faces significant opposition, particularly from Wade LeBeau, who chairs one of the Eastern Shoshoni Business Councils. LeBeau expressed strong disapproval, citing concerns about water rights, excessive water consumption, and potential land acquisition by a "trillion-dollar company." He also raised questions about the Northern Arapaho Tribe pursuing the project without Eastern Shoshone involvement. Patrick Lawson, executive manager of Northern Arapaho Tribal Industries (NATI), an outgrowth of the tribal government, stated that the study itself is intended to address public concerns, including the outcry over environmental impacts. Lawson mentioned that the study would explore a "carbon neutral energy matrix," potentially involving wind or solar farms, and acknowledged the conceptual nature of the project's size and exact location. Utility providers like High Plains Power and Tri-State, whose CEO Jon Mayes discussed the immense power demands of modern data centers (potentially gigawatts, compared to Tri-State's entire system peak of 2.5 gigawatts), are actively working on interconnection options. Fremont County Commissioners, including Vice-Chair Mike Jones and Commissioner Ron Fabrizius, also weighed in, with Fabrizius expressing concerns about housing, intertribal cooperation, and water for the agricultural community. An informational meeting is planned for May to discuss the study further.