Cheyenne Councilman Proposes 12-Month Data Center Moratorium Amid Public Concern

A Cheyenne City Councilman, Mark Moody, has introduced a proposal for a 12-month moratorium on new data center construction within the city limits. This initiative comes in response to a significant surge, with as many as 70 data center projects reportedly converging on Cheyenne, raising local concerns about their substantial power and water consumption. The proposed moratorium, if enacted, would not apply to data centers already under construction, such as Microsoft's plan to triple its size in Cheyenne, or another project on the Cox ranch which is currently on hold until September. However, Mayor Patrick Collins has publicly stated his disapproval of an outright moratorium or ban, emphasizing that such a measure is "not our way." Councilman Moody's proposal is bolstered by a grassroots petition that has been gathering signatures, aiming to halt new data center construction. The public opposition underscores the ongoing debate within the community regarding the rapid growth of the data center industry in Cheyenne and its potential impact on local resources.