Missoula resident starts petition opposing Bonner data center

Paul Barmore, a resident of Missoula, Montana, has initiated a petition to oppose a proposed data center in Bonner, Montana. Barmore, who owns Big Sky Flies, expressed concerns about the environmental impact, specifically regarding potential water seepage from the Blackfoot River and the burden on local infrastructure, drawing parallels to issues seen in other communities across the country. The proposed data center, associated with Crambo, is seeking an exception review. Although specific megawatt usage details were not publicly available in a county update, the project's infrastructure could require up to 29 megawatts. Crambo's CEO indicated the company is exploring a closed-loop system for water and aims to source power from a third party, ensuring a reduced environmental footprint in compliance with Montana rates. The Missoula City and County Planning Board is scheduled to discuss the data center proposal on June 3rd. Following this, the Missoula County Commissioners will hold the final authority on approving the project. Barmore urges officials to carefully consider the long-term implications of bringing such a development to Montana.