Panelists in Gallatin Gateway discussion push back on data centers

A panel discussion held on March 30 at the Gallatin Gateway Community Center in Montana brought together representatives from the Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC), Upper Missouri Waterkeeper, Montanans for Affordable Energy (MAE), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Approximately 50 attendees heard panelists articulate their belief that data centers represent a significant environmental and economic threat to Montana, advocating for a halt to their expansion. Karin Kirk of Montanans for Affordable Energy emphasized the rising energy costs, stating that artificial intelligence (AI) demands substantial energy, contributing to a 10% increase in residential electricity costs since 2022. She specifically called out NorthWestern Energy for signing letters of intent with proposed data centers, including Sabey Data Centers and Atlas Power in Butte, Quantica Infrastructure in Yellowstone County, and Krambu east of Missoula, with Quantica alone projected to consume up to 1,000 megawatts. Anne Hedges of MEIC expressed concern about a potential surge in demand for NorthWestern Energy and criticized the utility for providing heavily redacted documents regarding these data center deals, vowing to fight against them. Guy Alzentser of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper addressed the issue of water scarcity, describing data centers as "thirsty beyond belief" due to the high volume of water required for cooling and supply chains, questioning the state's capacity to support such demands. Panelists also noted other impacts, including increased air pollution in Yellowstone and Rosebud counties (designated "Nonattainment" for Clean Air Act standards), as well as noise, light pollution, and electronic waste containing harmful chemicals like PFAS. At the conclusion of the discussion, attendees were encouraged to contact Montana's Public Service Commission, the Gallatin County Commission, and the Broadwater County Commission. The event highlighted an active movement to oppose and regulate data center development in Montana based on environmental and infrastructure concerns.