1 data center project in Unincorporated Missoula County
Who decides here: the Missoula County Commissioners decides on zoning for land outside city and town limits.
In Unincorporated Missoula County
Local votes and rules
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
County commissioners voted unanimously to pause new or bigger data centers for up to one year while staff write new rules. It covers all county land outside the city of Missoula. Thirty people spoke, all in favor. The pause can be extended one more year after another hearing. It came after a plan for a data center at the Bonner Mill industrial park, which later fell through.
📜 Data center rules
After a crypto mine at the Bonner Mill industrial park caused power and noise problems from 2017 to 2020, the county wrote rules for crypto mines and data centers. They are only allowed in industrial zones. Sites next to homes need a special exemption. Owners must recycle electronic waste and bring in new renewable power.
What you can do
- Get told first.
We'll email you if anything changes in Unincorporated Missoula County. - Go to county meetings.
Anyone can speak. Big projects usually need a public hearing. - Ask questions in writing.
Use our checklist.
🔔 Get told first
⚡ Your electric company
Depending on where you live in Unincorporated Missoula County: Missoula Electric Co-op, Inc. (co-op (owned by its members)) or Northwestern Energy LLC (company) or Usbia-mission Valley Power (public).
Big data centers need a lot of power. Who pays for new power lines depends on state rules. See the rules in Montana.
🙋 Open tasks here
- How big could the Bonner data center have grown? Reports say up to 29 MW or up to 100 MW.