Bonner Data Center

The environmental negative impacts outweigh the positives. Missoula and Montana’s economies thrive on our natural resources. They will be at risk if this AI data center is built. Please refer to other examples of AI data centers being built in communities. They will cause more harm than good.

There are zero benefits to this project that outweigh the danger and damage to the environment, energy costs for citizens, noise disruption in the valley, and the fact that there is no way to responsibly dispose of e-waste. This is a horrible, horrible project and should not be approved.

In The Dalles Oregon AI centers were sold as environmental and would create jobs. THEY LIED. All over the country AI centers have been sold like this to the local community. They LIED. It ruined the water shes it ruined the community and the jobs were filled by people from out of town and state. THEY LIE. They manipulate the emotion of the local community and then you suffer. Any place these centers have been built the community people water electricity and farms have been ruined. It heats up the water and kills the fish and when the water levels drop as they do we know the data center will be prioritized leaving the residents to find ways to get potable water. Some areas have reported brown tap water and unsafe to even bathe in. Montana deserves to stay pristine. We are the best water shed for the country outside of Michigan. We can not allow these centers to ruin our lives. The company becomes so powerful you cant fight them and they all start with this... we are safe for the environment and just a tiny little thing. As their water usage increases as demand is on the plant the people are left out in the cold. The slow creep to 15 minute cities. Fight this. Push back. Send them packing. They will ruin the community read the archives of the story of The Dalles Oregon data centers. Not the current cover up news but the Archives.

Get out of here now! Do you want water, wildlife, and peace? Or do you want no water, accelerated death drive of wildlife and planet, and loud psychosis inducing noise? AI is an evil that was built off of theft and is being weaponized against those who unwittingly created and have no need for it. Vampire technology that sucks the life from the real world in order to create an artificial one. No no no no no no no!!!!

This seems like a ludicrous idea to even consider this idea. Yes the area could use some industry but destroying our precious ecosystem in that area and disrupting the Blackfoot River seems like a huge mistake. Please don’t let this happen!!!

Absolutely not. No other community is seeing any positive benefits from these data centers. Our natural resources and environment are too precious to gamble on a corporation doing the right thing. Please deny this project!

I have a lot of concerns about this project and the impacts on the residents and environment. Montana has a long history of environmental damage at the hands of a few wealthy people trying to get wealthier. At a time when regulations and simple data collection is being defunded and undermined, how are working people supposed to trust this development to be a responsible neighbor? I'm hoping the council demands receipts and proceeds with a healthy dose of skepticism.

This would be truly disastrous for the community in so many ways. There is no way this should even be considered.

No, this data center will not benefit our community in any way.

There is a clear trend of exploitative industry in Montana. This Data Center is no exception. Allowing this project to go forward would be in direct contrast to residents desire and public benefit. Please send a clear message that predatory businesses are not welcome in Missoula County.

I am not advocating for this project. It will take more from the community than it provides. That said, I can answer some questions :

1. It should not impact the wastewater system as the water used is closed loop.

2. Further they capture most (90%?) of the heat that is generated for reuse. The idea being heating greenhouses or aquaponics .

From a environmental perspective, considering what these two companies are doing to bring the bitcoining mining/ai data center to Bonner is not terrible.

From a business perspective it will not help Bonner. This includes income generation for local residents.

No! No! No! Other than the few who profit from this, the whole community suffers. The environment suffers. And we all know that regulations and rules don't mean anything to those in power. Those running AI are the new copper kings. We in MT know where that got us the first time. We don't need more AI. We need to keep this planet human-powered, respecting it and one another. No profits over people. No profits over our MT way of life.

I worry that the water use and disposal has not been addressed. How much water will be consumed? How will it strain our wastewater treatment facilities? How will it impact future development plans?

Another factor is noise…noise in a mountain valley. We need an absolute guarantee that the noise this center will make will not negatively impact our community for the years to come. Cumulative stress from constant noise (and light, etc) is a health hazard, impacting sleep and everyday life.

I appreciate that the center would use all renewable energy sources. Does that mean they’d cover all development and future payments associated with the renewable project?

Sadly, in our current system, recycling all e-waste is not reality. How will they guarantee all e-waste actually gets recycled? I do not want the waste just sitting around somewhere. That’s not recycling, that’s disposal.

Thank you for your consideration.

This is a horrible idea. I strongly disapprove of a data center. Do not allow this to be built. There is no benefit.

There is no upside to this project that is worth the costs it will have on the community. Please do not proceed.

This is against our state’s constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. AI bubble is about to burst, and even if it wasn’t, it’s a morally corrupt and useless endeavor. If this project proceeds, it will be against the will of the people who live here.

I'm deeply concerned about the prospect of an AI data center being built within Missoula county for a variety of reasons. This technology is too new to fully understand its impacts. I don't believe that any of the regulations proposed would suffice to reduce or eliminate the risk. The economic benefit to our community seems very minimal. There has been report after report of the negative impacts of data centers that have been hastily constructed throughout the country that are just now coming to light. Any potential benefit for this specific instruction is far outweighed by the known or unknown risks. I'm not a properly law expert but it appears that there is an avenue too legitimately deny the request for a special exception here. I was strongly urge the Consolidated Land Board to deny this proposal.

As a Missoula resident, I am FIRMLY against this project.

I'm worried about noise pollution. I've read that other data centers generate noise that impacts a 2 mile radius.

I am quite concerned about any data center coming into Montana due to their high use of water. The jobs promised are temporary and what will happen when they are no longer needed because technology has advanced to the point of no longer requiring huge quantities of space? We'll be left with rusting out warehouses and used up resources. I fear that our utilities will sky rocket as well. Please do not let this project proceed.