County review of Bonner data center delayed again
Missoula County has postponed its review of a proposed data center in Bonner for the third time, citing the applicant's failure to provide complete information. The project, proposed by Krambu Inc. and developed by Dobler Engineering, faces scrutiny over environmental concerns like noise, lighting, heat, and water usage, as well as significant local opposition. The Consolidated Land Use Board will assess its compatibility with the neighborhood and compliance with county regulations, including a mandate for renewable energy.
Missoula County's Consolidated Land Use Board has once again delayed its review of a proposed data center in Bonner, marking the third postponement. The July 1 hearing was canceled because the applicant, Krambu Inc., through developer Gordon Dobler of Idaho-based Dobler Engineering, has not yet provided all required materials, according to a Missoula County Voice post.
Missoula County planner Jennie Dixon has repeatedly requested more comprehensive information regarding the project's impact, specifically on exterior equipment noise, lighting, hours of operation, and cooling tower water requirements. While some information on cooling towers improved in the second application, details on noise and lighting remained insufficient, leading Dixon to push the hearing back. The initial phase of the data center, slated for the former Bonner Mill planer building, is expected to use 7 megawatts, with potential expansion to 29 megawatts, and Krambu's website even mentions a 100-megawatt "AI factory in Montana."
The board's review will focus on the data center's compatibility with the adjacent neighborhood, which includes an elementary school, and its environmental impacts such as traffic, noise, lights, and heat. Local opposition to the project is growing, with 280 comments, predominantly negative, posted on the Missoula County Voice webpage. Critics have raised concerns about increased strain on the electrical grid, substantial water consumption (up to 50,000 gallons for a 100MW operation), and threats to the Blackfoot River ecosystem.
Furthermore, Missoula County Commissioners in 2022 enacted regulations requiring new large data centers to source their energy from renewable sources. Hyperblock, a previous tenant of the planer building, had a contract with Energy Keepers, Inc., which operates the Selis' Ksanka Qlispe Dam, but Energy Keepers has stated it has no current commitment to provide power to this or any other specific data center project. The next Consolidated Land Use Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for August 5.