Study recommends stronger zoning
Climate action program manager Svein Newman and planner Patrick Swart joined the commissioners on "The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners" to explain the study's findings and discuss next steps. The episode is available on YouTube and through podcast platforms.
Released Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the draft study found sufficient potential risks to support the moratorium and recommended stronger zoning, according to NBC Montana. Its concerns include rising electricity demand and related greenhouse gas emissions, electricity costs, noise, effects on wildlife and compatibility with residential areas.
The county also plans to participate in NorthWestern Energy's New Load Tariff Proceeding and work with the Montana Public Service Commission to prevent costs from being shifted to consumers.
The proposal behind the pause
Commissioners approved the moratorium on July 9, using interim zoning to temporarily stop development in response to an emergency. County staff then immediately began the legally required study to assess the circumstances behind the emergency and possible responses.
The action followed a proposal for an AI data center at the Bonner Mill Industrial Park, Missoula Current / Daily Montanan reported. Idaho-based Krambu applied in March 2026 to convert part of the former mill property into a facility that could use up to 29 megawatts of electricity. The proposal fell through in early July after property owner Mike Heisey withdrew his signature from the application.
The pause covers both zoned and unzoned land throughout the county, excluding the city of Missoula. Within city limits, the new zoning code and map would require a rezoning before a data center could be allowed; the city currently has no designated heavy industrial areas.
Existing rules and legal limits
Missoula County adopted its existing data center and cryptocurrency mine regulations in 2021 after energy-use and noise problems at a cryptocurrency mine that operated at the Bonner Mill Industrial Park from 2017 to 2020, according to Montana Free Press.
Those regulations restrict the facilities to industrial zones, with a special exemption required when a facility is directly beside a residential area. Operators must also verify that electronic waste will be recycled and use new renewable energy that would not otherwise have been added to the grid.
County civil attorney John Hart said interim zoning permits a one-year moratorium, with a further year possible after another hearing and an explanation for the extension. He said the county cannot permanently ban data centers.
Public comment and the 2027 timeline
The draft study is posted online for public comment. The county has scheduled a presentation and question-and-answer session for 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the Home Arts Building at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
County leaders plan to propose statewide standards to lawmakers before Montana's 2027 Legislative Session. Once the session ends, they will consider either extending the moratorium for a second year or adjusting their approach based on the legislation passed. The current moratorium expires July 8, 2027.
