Missoula-area groups organizing to oppose data center
Residents in the Missoula area are organizing to oppose a proposed 29-megawatt data center by Krambu LLC at the Bonner mill site, pushing for a moratorium on such developments. They raised concerns about water usage, energy demands, and tax incentives for data centers. The Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board's review of Krambu's application has been postponed.
Missoula-area residents are actively organizing to oppose a proposed 29-megawatt data center by Krambu LLC at the Bonner mill site, with hearings on the project currently on hold. Approximately 100 people gathered at a local brewery to hear presentations and voice their concerns, which included the facility's potential water and energy consumption, particularly given Krambu's claims about closed-loop cooling and the need for backup diesel generators. Moira Odermann highlighted discrepancies between Krambu's claims and their submitted paperwork, as well as the significant tax incentives offered to data centers by federal and state governments, including Montana's property tax reductions.
Co-presenter Alessandro Mitchell discussed the energy demands of data centers and the perceived lack of protection for residential users from large-scale industrial consumers like Krambu by NorthWestern Energy. He cited examples of successful moratoriums or bans on AI data centers in other cities, such as Seattle, which recently passed a one-year moratorium. Residents expressed strong opposition to Krambu's proposal, with Paul Barmore initiating a Change.org petition against granting a special exception for the project, arguing that local taxpayers do not receive the same benefits as corporations.
Concerns extended beyond environmental impacts, with tech industry workers like Matt Thorson warning about the broader societal implications of data centers enabling mass surveillance and the manipulation of information. Lea Bossler suggested that political parties should include data center regulation in their platforms, citing public opposition. Nathan Stephens announced that a new group is forming in Missoula, already engaging state senators regarding a moratorium bill, and advocated for collaboration among grassroots groups across Montana, including those opposing the Quantica Infrastructure data center near Broadview. The Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board has canceled a scheduled July 1 review of Krambu's application, with the public hearing schedule now undetermined as the developer finalizes materials.