Vantage Data Centers meets Cheyenne resident concerns about incoming project
Vantage Data Centers held a community meeting in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to address resident concerns about its planned development in Laramie County. Residents raised issues regarding location, water usage, noise, light, and the overall impact of rapid data center expansion, which also involves projects by Microsoft and Tallgrass. A proposed data center moratorium recently failed to gain City Council support.
Vantage Data Centers recently held a community meeting in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to discuss its proposed data center development in Laramie County amidst growing resident anxieties regarding the region's rapidly expanding tech sector. Representatives from Vantage, including Misty Allen, Vice President of Public Policy for North America, and Emily Backus, Director of Sustainability, outlined project details, economic benefits, and sustainability goals.
Residents, including Richard Lysle, Tammy Higgins, and Thomas White, voiced concerns about the project's proximity to rural subdivisions, potential water usage and contamination, noise, light pollution, and the cumulative impact of multiple data centers, which also include developments by Microsoft and Tallgrass. City Councilor Lawrence Wolfe echoed these concerns, highlighting the unprecedented density of development and the massive utility demands it would place on the community, including the need for on-site power generation.
Vantage officials stated the company aims for water positivity through a closed-loop cooling system that recycles water and plans to use air cooling and Wyoming wind to minimize power needs. They also emphasized economic investment, job creation, and tax revenue as community benefits. While some residents expressed support for technological growth if environmental impacts are properly managed, others like Casey Palma, a local land planner, view the development as a positive opportunity for Wyoming if executed correctly.