The Missoula County commissioners approved a temporary moratorium on data centers on Thursday, citing environmental and public health concerns. This decision halts the creation of new or expanding data centers for up to a year, allowing the county to update its regulations. The moratorium applies to both zoned and unzoned areas countywide, excluding the city of Missoula, whose new zoning map excludes districts for data centers, according to Karen Hughes, director of Missoula County’s Planning, Development and Sustainability Department.
The decision came after 30 public comments, all supporting the pause, and was greeted with applause. Commissioner Dave Strohmaier expressed satisfaction with the county taking a careful approach to assess data centers’ impact. The county will now conduct a study within 30 days to confirm an emergency and devise mitigation strategies.
Existing regulations require data centers to operate in industrial zones with special exemptions near residential areas. They must also ensure electronic waste recycling and the use of new renewable energy. However, these rules lack provisions for water and air quality, heat, noise, and vibration impacts, which could result from additional infrastructure and 24/7 operations, as addressed by Hughes.
County planner Jennie Dixon stated the review of a proposed data center in Bonner, which was scrapped after the property owner withdrew, prompted the moratorium. Commissioner Josh Slotnick emphasized the need to reevaluate zoning regulations in light of evolving data center definitions.
Missoula’s city limits require a rezoning process for any data center approval, said Cassie Tripard, the city’s planning supervisor. Public concerns over data centers include pollution of Missoula’s aquifer and adverse health impacts from noise. Local resident Paul Barmore criticized the corporations’ financial priorities over environmental preservation.
The Montana Environmental Information Center highlighted the county’s transparency in data center regulation compared to other state regions. The interim zoning allows a one-year moratorium that could extend another year with justification. County civil attorney John Hart confirmed the county’s lack of authority to permanently ban data centers.
Residents in Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties are gathering signatures for ballot initiatives requiring voter approval for data center projects, reported the Billings Gazette. Commissioner Slotnick anticipated AI companies lobbying state legislators and urged public participation in the legislative session of early 2027.
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