BUTTE -While some folks in Butte are concerned that data centers could increase their power bills some people at a recent Council of Commissioners meeting expressed concerns that data centers could increase noise pollution and also use more water.
“Where are we going to get our clean drinking water? We cannot drink data, I know it’s part of what everyone wants in this world, but we don’t want it here,” Fleecer Road resident Lyla Klobucar said.
WATCH: Butte residents speak out about proposed data center expansion at commissioners meeting
The Sabey Data Center has a sale agreement with Butte-Silver Bow to purchase 600 acres at the Montana Connection industrial park. The commissioners at a recent meeting approved sending a letter to the Public Service Commission, making sure the added utility costs for data centers don’t affect regular ratepayers’ bills.
“The goal of this letter is to outline a few key points that I think are good protections for the ratepayers in this state,” Butte Commissioner Russell O’Leary said.
While some applauded the action, others said these large data centers come with other concerns.
“They would produce 120 decibels of noise, which is the same thing as a jet engine, so I think there needs to be more research into that before you go ahead with the signing off on that,” Buxton Road resident Holly Hansen said, concerning a different industry coming to the Montana Connection Industrial Park, not the data center.
Data centers are a fast-growing industry with an estimated 5,400 in the United States. Montana currently has 25 data centers, with one in Butte and Bozeman, and 20 in Great Falls.
“As the research shows, when a data center is established in an area, there’s a very strong chance that it’s going to be expanded, not once, not twice, but up to five times of the footprint,” Butte resident Stella Capoccia said.
Some believe the new development will be good for the economy.
“I’m also super in favor of the data centers being built in Butte. It will increase a lot of the local tradesmen’s quality of life,” Ready Frost said.
