Property owner of proposed Bonner data center backs out
The property owner for a proposed data center in Bonner, Montana, withdrew support for the project due to public environmental concerns, effectively stalling the development. This decision comes as Missoula County Commissioners are set to vote on a temporary moratorium on new data centers to update regulations addressing environmental impacts.
The proposed data center in Bonner, east of Missoula, Montana, has stalled after the property owner, Mike Heisey of Bonner Mill Industrial Park, withdrew support for Krambu's application. Heisey cited public concerns regarding the facility's potential environmental impacts, including water use, noise, and pollution of the Blackfoot River, in a notice to county officials.
This development precedes a crucial vote by the Missoula County Commissioners on Thursday concerning an interim zoning proposal. The proposal seeks to implement a temporary moratorium on new or expanding data centers for up to a year, with a possible extension, allowing the county to update its regulations. The moratorium, if approved, would not have affected Krambu's application as it was already submitted, but county planners indicated that public feedback on Krambu's project contributed to the moratorium proposal.
Karen Hughes, director of Missoula County’s Planning, Development and Sustainability Department, highlighted that existing regulations from 2021, initially aimed at cryptocurrency mines, are insufficient for modern data centers. These regulations do not adequately address impacts on water quality and quantity, air quality, heat, noise, and vibration. Commissioner Josh Slotnick reported significant positive public feedback regarding the proposed moratorium, underscoring the community's desire for updated environmental safeguards.