What was said about data centers in Montana
54 statements from 39 speakers, grouped by who spoke. Each appears as said, with the date and the source. No verdict is attached.
From August 4, 2026 to September 27, 2026. Statements from every state are on Statements.
Data center companies 5
Developers, operators and builders of data centers and the technology companies that fill them, speaking through their staff and spokespeople. Every state.
-
Contractors
Projects could bring road improvements and more business for local restaurants and services
-
Contractors used a hyperscale data center project in North Dakota as an example of construction impacts
-
Executive Vice President, McGough Construction
Nathan Wood, executive vice president of McGough Construction, said the goal was to avoid overrunning community capacity and noted that facilities with recreation amenities and food services on campus are a great option
-
Contractors
Construction concerns included more traffic, temporary worker housing, dust and pressure on local infrastructure
-
Contractors
Developers often worked with local leaders before construction began on traffic routes, housing availability and ways to limit impacts
Government 18
Officials in office, lawmakers, regulators, public agencies and courts, federal, state, tribal and local. Every state.
-
Montana Supreme Court determined that allowing an initiative to fail due to retroactive deadline change is greater harm than approving it and having it potentially overturned later
-
Yellowstone County Commission Chair Mark Morse said county commissioners do not know what regulatory authority they have regarding data center development under the Right to Compute Act.
-
Missoula city staff
City staff first proposed allowing up to 10 percent of a new development to include a data center without triggering a lengthy rezone request that would need Missoula City Council approval.
-
Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez introduced federal legislation to pause all new data centers until strong national safeguards are in place
-
U.S. Representative, Montana
Rep. Troy Downing says data centers can bring investment but decisions should be made by communities, federal government should take light touch approach, and Montana's senior water rights must be protected
-
President Trump criticized communities for opposing data centers on social media
-
U.S. President
President Donald Trump, data centers have become a ready proxy for economic grievances held by voters who believe industry driven wealth is corrupting communities and politics
-
District Court Judge
Judge Joseph appears to side with county, ruling equitable estoppel does not apply to legal deadline matters, citing precedent from Yellowstone County case
-
Tribal executive board member Roxanne Gourneau stated Fort Peck historically struggled with acquiring clean, drinkable water and cannot compromise water and environment with uncertainty
-
Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board chairman Floyd Azure stated the board was concerned data centers could harm the reservation and its natural resources
-
Yellowstone County Commission Chair Mark Morse said idea of placing moratorium on ballot would need to be discussed at board's discussion meetings before it could move to regular business agenda for a vote
-
Yellowstone County commissioner
Commissioner Mark Morse stated county does not have authority to impose emergency interim zoning
-
Montana State Senator
State Senator Ellie Boldman introduced a bill draft request to ban large scale data centers statewide for the 2027 Montana legislature session
-
Fort Peck Tribal Chairman
Azure said when the tribes asked companies what benefits they would bring, the companies did not have an answer
-
Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure said three different companies approached the tribe interested in building data centers in the last year
-
Judge, Yellowstone County
Judge Ed Zink wrote it was regrettable that county officials gave Solberg wrong deadline but error not enough to overturn county decision
-
Yellowstone County Sheriff
Sheriff Kent O'Donnell stated that signature gatherers were removed for their actions and that one person put physical hands on a deputy
Utilities and grid operators 2
Electric utilities, cooperatives and the operators of the power grid, and the people who speak for them. Every state.
-
NorthWestern Energy said it is in conversation with at least 11 data center developers
-
NorthWestern Energy associate general counsel Mike Green stated that preventing any cost shifting is not realistic
Candidates and campaigns 15
People running for office, their campaigns and their parties. A candidate who does not hold the office is not an official. Every state.
-
Ravi Mangla, progressive Working Families Party national press secretary
Data center moratoria and support have become a defining issue on the midterm campaign trail
-
Montana Senate candidate
Seth Bodnar, Democrat like independent in Montana Senate race, said he was strongly opposed to anything that happens to Montana communities without their involvement
-
Democratic candidate for MT-02
Democratic candidate Brian Miller serving as legal counsel for citizens challenging Quantica Infrastructure development in Yellowstone County
-
Independent candidate for MT-02
Dr. Mike Eisenhauer proposes 5 Pillar policy requiring closed loop cooling, protecting ratepayers and workers, and letting each community have final say
-
Libertarian candidate for MT-02
Patrick McCracken says most people would not want to live next door to a data center and communities need to make decisions on resource use and impacts
-
Montana political candidate
Brian Miller, Democratic candidate for Montana's Eastern Congressional District, represented opponents of the Broadview project
-
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate
Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead called for a moratorium on large data center development until impacts to communities can be better studied
-
Democratic candidate Montana 1st Congressional District
Democratic candidate Sam Forstag supports data centers only if companies generate own power, use efficient water systems, and ensure union jobs
-
Independent U.S. Senate candidate
Independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar issued a six point pledge on AI and data centers including giving communities final say on data center development
-
Republican candidate western Montana congressional seat
Republican candidate Aaron Flint opposes all out ban citing national security concerns about data going to China and Russia
-
Republican U.S. Senate candidate
Republican Senate candidate Kurt Alme said local governments need to consider potential harms through electricity rates and water impacts and that these are ultimately local community decisions
-
Candidate Al Olszewski supports nationwide moratorium or Montana specific ban on data center development
-
Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate
Libertarian Senate candidate Kyle Austin stated he is completely against data centers in Montana until there is transparency
-
Kurt Alme, Republican U.S. Senate candidate and former U.S. Attorney from Billings, called the suggestion that he's hiding from voters 'desperate campaign talk' and refused to say anything on the topic
-
Seth Bodnar, independent U.S. Senate candidate, claims only an independent can solve the data center debate
Advocates and residents 9
Advocacy and community groups on every side, residents, neighbors and people speaking at public meetings. Every state.
-
John Mayer, Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, representing initiative organizers, requested supplemental ballots be printed for all electors.
-
Anne Hedges, Montana Environmental Information Center executive director, says every day Montanans and existing NorthWestern Energy ratepayers could end up subsidizing energy development for data centers, and paying more for power
-
Anne Hedges, Montana Environmental Information Center executive director, called poll results a red flag
-
Evan Barrett of 406 People First stated the power of initiative is protected in Montana Constitution and deadline change impeded their rights
-
Community leaders and contractors discussed how large scale data centers could affect nearby towns; communities near Missoula and Billings were being considered for future large scale facilities
-
Denise Kelly, 406 People First President
406 People First submitted 4,500+ petition signatures on July 31, 2026
-
Yellowstone County Voices organizer
Kassi Solberg reported being accosted by sheriff deputies who restrained her with handcuffs
-
Yellowstone County Voices volunteer
Katie Harrison, a volunteer with Yellowstone County Voices, reported that a security guard repeatedly told her to move and change position while collecting signatures
-
Kassi Solberg of Yellowstone County Voices stated the commissioners are trying to push the Quantica AI data center through without the consensus of the people
Researchers and analysts 1
Universities, research institutes, think tanks, pollsters, economists and consultants. Every state.
-
data center consultant
Kim Lundgren, a consultant on data centers for municipalities, states supply is outpacing demand
Other voices 4
Journalists, lawyers, former officials, and speakers the source describes in words that name none of the groups above. Every state.
-
Montana Free Press / Rutgers Eagleton poll
Nearly 75% of registered Montana voters oppose data centers in their city or neighboring county
-
Montana Free Press / Rutgers Eagleton poll
92% of registered Montana voters say the state should create regulations to limit data center impact on electricity prices
-
Montana Free Press-Rutgers Eagleton poll
Democrats in Montana are more likely to be strongly opposed to new data centers than independent voters or Republicans, but opposition was considerable across party lines
-
Attorney John Meyer argued Montana Code 13-28-206 is unconstitutional because it does not facilitate the people's constitutional power of initiative
The group comes from the words the source gives for the speaker; how the groups are read. Every statement on the record is in CSV and JSON, with its group and its state.
