Residents voice data center concerns at Wyoming Outdoor Council forum

Residents and the Wyoming Outdoor Council (WOC) gathered at a forum in Casper, Wyoming, to express skepticism and concerns regarding the planned Prometheus Hyperscale data center project. The proposed $500 million, 1.5-gigawatt facility is planned for 940 acres of Falls Ranch property south of Interstate 25, entirely within Natrona County, and intends to generate its own on-site electricity.

Jocelyn Wulf, WOC's data center policy manager, highlighted the dramatic scale of hyperscale data centers compared to traditional facilities, noting their vast consumption of resources, especially water, air, and energy. Despite advancements like closed-loop cooling systems, Wulf pointed to ongoing concerns about wastewater discharge, potential chemical coolant release, and the significant water demands of co-located natural gas power plants required to power these facilities. Attendees also voiced worries about the project's proximity to the North Platte River and its potential impact on the delicate ecosystem.

The WOC is advocating for changes to Wyoming's regulatory framework, specifically addressing loopholes in the Industrial Siting Act that allow developers to bypass state-level environmental and economic evaluations by siting facilities within city or county industrial parks. They argue this shifts a heavy technical review burden onto local governments with potentially limited capacity. A local resident, Marc Nogle, suggested establishing a state commission for data center regulation, citing a lack of transparency and information from developers.

While some residents, like Allyse Taylor, pressed for an immediate moratorium on data center development, Wulf stated the WOC is currently pushing for