Cheyenne City Council to consider a pause on new data centers

The Cheyenne City Council has introduced a proposed temporary moratorium on new data center construction. Councilman Mark Moody stated that the goal is to establish comprehensive regulations for data centers and ensure significant public involvement in the process. He emphasized that the proposed ordinance is not a permanent ban and will not impact data centers already under construction, clarifying his stance that he is not against data centers, acknowledging their importance for national security. The ordinance mandates that city staff conduct a study on various data center impacts, including electricity usage, electricity tariffs, closed-loop cooling systems, groundwater and agricultural impacts, and land value. Moody highlighted the need for more public input and clear regulations for data centers in Cheyenne, questioning the community's capacity to sustain the growing number of announced projects. Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development corporation for Cheyenne and Laramie County, reported in November 2025 that Wyoming currently has 12 operational data centers, five under construction, and plans for 43 more across the state. The proposed moratorium is scheduled to be reviewed by the Public Services Committee on Monday, May 18.