After hours of public input, data center moratorium fails to get Cheyenne committee recommendation
A proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center development in Cheyenne, Wyoming, failed to receive a recommendation from the City Council Public Services Committee despite hours of public input. The measure, which aimed to study impacts on the power grid, water supply, and environment, will now advance to the full City Council without the committee's endorsement. Residents voiced concerns about resource strain and transparency, while union workers emphasized job creation and economic benefits.
A proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center development in Cheyenne, Wyoming, failed to secure a recommendation from the Cheyenne City Council Public Services Committee after a lengthy meeting on Monday.
The ordinance, sponsored by Councilor Mark Moody, aimed to pause data center permits and zoning changes to allow city staff to study their impact on the power grid, local water supply, and environment. The committee ultimately moved the item to the full City Council without a recommendation after a motion to approve it died for lack of a second.
Mayor Patrick Collins opposed the pause, arguing that utility rates are state-managed and city staff lack the specific expertise for broad environmental studies. He also noted that existing data centers account for a small percentage of the city's water usage. Public comment saw local union laborers urging rejection of the moratorium, citing stable jobs, while some residents expressed anxieties about noise pollution, infrastructure strain, and a lack of transparency, calling for stronger regulations.
Cheyenne LEADS CEO Betsey Hale clarified that there are currently 10 operational data centers, five under construction, and eight more planned or undergoing review, dismissing larger, speculative figures circulating among the public. The committee also recommended approval for several housing developments and a city-initiated rezone of the Cheyenne Business Park and Campstool Business Park into a unified business park zoning district to streamline development.