Missoula County to prepare data center study after passing one-year moratorium
Missoula County, Montana, is preparing a study on the impacts of data centers and strategies for regulation, following a state-mandated one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers. The study aims to address potential adverse effects such as energy consumption, water and air quality, heat, noise, and vibration, which are not adequately covered by current zoning regulations. The draft study is expected to be presented to the public in early November.
Missoula County, Montana, has initiated a comprehensive study into the impacts of data centers, aiming to develop strategies for regulating their effects on public health, safety, and the environment. This study is a required follow-up to the county's one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers, which became effective on July 9, 2026.
The county highlighted that current Missoula County Zoning Regulations inadequately address the potential adverse impacts of data centers, including significant energy and water consumption, effects on air quality, and concerns related to heat, noise, and vibration. The moratorium provides staff with time to research these issues and identify options for preventing or mitigating these impacts.
Staff are currently working on a draft of the study, which is expected to be completed within eight weeks. Public presentations are scheduled for early November, specifically at the Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board meeting on November 4 and the Board of County Commissioners meeting on November 12. The draft will also be made available on the County Voice website for public review and comment.
The moratorium's enactment followed closely after a proposed data center project in Bonner, Montana, fell through due to significant public opposition, underscoring the community's concerns regarding data center development.