AI Governance
Data Centers
Drones
Climate
Privacy
2026 Maine Senate
Bob Dylan
Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 6:01 AM EST
Wyoming Data Center Development
Coverage from The Guardian, Wyoming News, and others
Wyoming’s data-center development brings together decisions about siting, zoning, permitting, incentives, and the infrastructure needed to serve large facilities.
Water is a recurring concern: communities and state officials weigh supply and water rights, wastewater controls, and cooling approaches such as closed-loop systems. In Cheyenne, officials reported contamination in a reclaimed-water system used for irrigation and linked it to wastewater associated with construction at Meta’s Project Cosmo; the response included treatment-system remediation and tighter discharge controls, while Meta sought further information about the evidence. The episode highlights broader questions about oversight, environmental safeguards, and how project assurances are evaluated alongside local needs.
Looking Back
141 Day Timeline
May 8
Jun 1
Jun 22
Jul 16
Aug 9
Aug 30
Sep 23
All Articles78 articles
Important
US datacenter operators and environmental opponents are contesting wastewater discharges, water use, and heated effluent as AI campuses expand across multiple states.
9/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne water officials tied Cupriavidus gilardii contamination to a contractor connected to Meta data center operations, prompting remediation and renewed scrutiny of Wyoming data center water and cooling claims.
7/17/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming officials traced Cupriavidus gilardii contamination to a Meta data center contractor in June, prompting remediation and renewed zoning scrutiny for Site Layer 4.
7/17/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming, adopted stricter wastewater disposal regulations after February testing found Cupriavidus gilardii in wastewater discharges tied to Meta's Project Cosmo construction.
7/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities halted data-center wastewater acceptance during Meta's Cheyenne, Wyoming AI campus buildout after rare bacterium Cupriavidus gilardii was traced to a project-linked industrial user.
7/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities identified Cupriavidus gilardii in wastewater tied to Meta data center campus construction in February and changed reclaimed-water discharge policy.
7/4/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities suspended data center fill-and-flush wastewater acceptance after Cupriavidus gilardii detection tied to Meta-linked Goat Systems operations disrupted reuse plants.
7/4/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming officials in 2025 linked bacteria detected in wastewater testing to Meta data center construction, prompting reclaimed-water irrigation suspension and discharge termination.
7/10/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming imposed new wastewater discharge restrictions on Meta's Project Cosmo after routine testing during construction found bacteria-contaminated sewer discharge.
7/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming, adopted new restrictions on datacenter wastewater disposal after bacteria-contaminated construction runoff was found from Meta Project Cosmo in High Plains Business Park.
7/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming imposed new wastewater disposal safety rules in 2026 after routine testing during Meta's Project Cosmo construction found Cupriavidus gilardii in sewer-discharge effluent.
7/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming utilities revoked fill-and-flush discharge privileges in response to Cupriavidus gilardii found in wastewater tied to a Meta-affiliated data center campus.
7/6/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Wyoming Select Water Committee members discussed water sourcing, closed-loop cooling, and water-right permitting for expanding Cheyenne-area data centers.
5/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Wyoming Sen. Cheri Steinmetz says the Site Layer 4 data center and power complex near Wheatland was fast-tracked without statewide planning or sufficient public transparency.
7/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Laramie County commissioners approved Project Latigo zoning near Cheyenne, Wyoming, advancing Vantage Data Centers' proposed 1,835-acre campus on Tuesday.
9/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Uinta County, Wyoming commissioners approved Prometheus Hyperscale for AI data-center development after town hall opposition centered on environmental impacts.
6/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Planning Commission on June 1 failed to recommend Microsoft land-use amendments, sending a denial recommendation to Cheyenne City Council for consideration.
6/5/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Heather Madrid Donis filed two court petitions in Laramie County, Wyoming, challenging Cheyenne's annexation approval and council process for Microsoft's proposed Highlands data center campus after the city approved the annexation on July 13.
9/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council approved a 3,500-acre Highlands annexation for Microsoft data center expansion, relying on a Wyoming industrial siting exemption that avoids Industrial Siting Council review.
7/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Google identified its 2.7-GW Cheyenne-area Project Jade as Project Tembo in Laramie County filings, with an Aug. 13 permit hearing set for the 716-acre campus.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Converse County, Wyoming rescinded an industrial park resolution after Attorney General guidance cited limitations for counties lacking zoning provisions.
5/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming, said Meta contractor Goat Systems introduced Cupriavidus gilardii into the city reuse irrigation system via data center fill-and-flush discharge during construction.
7/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Wyoming primary voters in Cheyenne, Laramie County, and statewide Republican races generally rejected candidates seeking data-center moratoriums or tighter restrictions during the 2026 elections.
8/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming officials and utility staff held a resident Q and A on Saturday to address data center siting, water use, permitting, and utility planning.
6/7/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Microsoft officials met Cheyenne residents after a proposed development pause was defeated to explain safeguards for a planned 3,200-acre data center expansion and additional nearby sites.
5/29/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wyoming officials, businesses and residents are contesting rapid data-center expansion and related tax, infrastructure and land-use policies across Cheyenne, Evanston, Casper and Platte County.
9/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Senator Cynthia Lummis and Wyoming regulators address interconnection and upgrade needs for Project Jade's projected 2.7 to 10 gigawatts starting in Cheyenne.
6/18/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Prometheus Hyperscale outlined a 1.2 gigawatt data center campus east of Evanston, Wyoming, proposing PG25 closed-loop cooling and on-site gas power amid Uinta County resident questions.
5/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
On Aug. 17, Judge James Kaste dismissed residents' administrative challenge to Prometheus Hyperscale's proposed Evanston-area data center in Uinta County, Wyoming.
8/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Interesting
Cheyenne, Wyoming restricted reclaimed-water use for Meta's Project Cosmo after routine testing detected Cupriavidus gilardii linked to construction pipe-flushing discharges.
7/9/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities traced Cupriavidus gilardii in reclaimed irrigation water in February to Meta's Project Cosmo construction in Wyoming and imposed wastewater discharge restrictions.
7/9/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming officials report Cupriavidus gilardii detected in wastewater sewers linked to a Meta AI data center cooling system during February construction.
7/9/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Wyoming lawmakers and Cheyenne officials reviewed testimony on data-center water impacts after planned capacity expansions raised projected acre-feet increases.
5/19/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Wyoming Select Water Committee members met in Cheyenne to assess data-center water use, focusing on closed-loop cooling efficiency, replenishment risk, and power-demand tradeoffs.
5/11/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Natrona County commissioners in Wyoming deferred action on Prometheus Hyperscale's proposed industrial-park zoning designation for a 1.5-gigawatt data center campus near Casper.
9/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prometheus asked Natrona County commissioners in Casper, Wyoming, on Tuesday to consider industrial park zoning for a proposed 1.5-gigawatt hyperscale data center campus.
9/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming data center campus phase-1 approaches completion with closed-loop direct-to-chip cooling, backup power, and substation expansion ahead of late-2026 delivery.
6/14/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming, officials linked reclaimed-water contamination of Cupriavidus gilardii in February to Meta AI data center commissioning wastewater and issued temporary system shutdowns for remediation.
7/9/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Greater Cheyenne Chamber panelists from Black Hills Energy, Microsoft, Meta, and Related Digital discussed data-center power, workforce, and modernization issues in Cheyenne, Wyoming, this week.
8/16/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
A Wyoming opinion writer urges residents and local governments to scrutinize expanding data center projects because business park siting may limit cumulative-impact review and public participation.
8/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Judge James Kaste dismissed Uinta County residents' challenge to Prometheus Hyperscale's conditional-use permit for a proposed data center near Evanston, Wyoming, on Aug. 17.
8/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council voted 8-1 against a 12-month moratorium on new data center construction after a public comment session lasting nearly 3.5 hours.
5/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council voted 8-1 against a one-year moratorium on new data center development after hours of resident testimony on water, zoning, and investment impacts.
5/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council scheduled a second-reading vote on a 12-month moratorium pausing data center site plan, permit, and zoning processing.
5/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wyoming guidance advises residents to monitor county permitting, Wyoming DEQ air quality and water-related permits, and NEPA federal comment routes for data center projects.
5/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council considered a 12-month moratorium on new data center approvals on May 26 after a Public Services Committee meeting ended without a recommendation.
5/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cheyenne City Council on May 18 will review a proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center development after a first reading at a public meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. in Cheyenne.
5/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wyoming Public Service Commission voted 2-1 against Anschutz’s Carbon County request to treat customer-dedicated generation as non-utility while non-utility-generator rules are still under development.
7/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Southeastern Wyoming voters generally rejected data center moratorium candidates in the 2026 primary elections while approving local infrastructure taxes and continuing debates over planning and community benefits.
8/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Black Hills Energy, Microsoft, Meta, and Related Digital discussed data-center power tariffs, backup generation, workforce effects, and facility modernization during a Cheyenne chamber panel.
8/14/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Vantage Data Centers held a Cheyenne, Wyoming community meeting to address Laramie County data center concerns about water, noise, and on-site power plans.
6/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming officials held public panels and a Related Digital construction tour in east Cheyenne to address data center siting, water use, power services, and community impacts.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council rejected an ordinance imposing a 12-month data center moratorium on Tuesday, 8–1, after debates over power, water, and environmental impacts.
5/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wyoming residents in Natrona and Converse counties pressed Prometheus Hyperscale for more detail on a proposed hyperscale data center and power plant before permitting.
5/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne residents held a rally on Saturday after a five-hour annexation hearing approved nearly 3,500 acres for a Microsoft data center project, prompting a petition for a referendum.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Evanston recommended approval of Prometheus Hyperscale’s 1.25-gigawatt data center conditional use permit on May 27, 2026 while Cheyenne residents seek a 12-month moratorium over water and power impacts.
5/30/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
In Cheyenne, Evanston, and Casper, Wyoming, residents and officials debate proposed hyperscale data center projects amid concerns over drought-stressed water and electricity needs.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming residents and officials responded to a Georgia data center water-use dispute by emphasizing closed-loop monitoring and debating whether to restrict new facilities as drought risk grows.
5/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
A letter published in Casper opposes Prometheus's proposed Natrona County data center, citing limited permanent jobs and concerns about electricity demand, grid stability, and pollution.
9/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wyoming Public Service Commission voted 2-1 against Anschutzs declaratory judgment for customer-dedicated data-center generation in Carbon County, while non-utility generator rules are pending.
7/24/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Wyoming regulators scheduled an Aug. 5 hearing on non-utility generator rules after a 2-1 denial involving Anschutz generation plans for data centers.
7/24/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Wyoming legislators weigh a draft bill to exempt qualifying generators from public utility rules to serve industrial and data-center demand, drawing utility opposition over ratepayer costs.
6/5/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Gov. Mark Gordon signed a Wyoming executive order creating a statewide framework for data center growth, including power cost protections and water conservation guidance, after local moratorium and industrial-park disputes.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Mark Gordon issued Wyoming Executive Order 2026-03 on data center growth on protecting ratepayers and water supplies, with Cheyenne local concerns tied to Microsoft and Meta development.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Cheyenne residents and Wyoming officials debate impact funds and mitigation for large data center projects amid concerns about water use, noise, and infrastructure impacts.
6/13/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wyoming policymakers are weighing AI data center investment and related tax, power, water and infrastructure effects as communities consider future development across the state.
9/10/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
Additional
Vantage Data Centers held a Cheyenne community meeting in late 2024 to discuss planned Laramie County data center development amid resident concerns about water and neighborhood impacts.
6/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cheyenne, Wyoming considered Iron Guard Housing's temporary workforce complex for up to 5,600 data-center construction workers in 2024, after resident protests and planning commission reconsideration.
6/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Vantage Data Centers hosted a Cheyenne open house for a proposed Laramie County 480-megawatt campus, with permitting expected to start late 2026 amid local noise and water concerns.
7/2/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
WEDA supported Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s 2026-03 executive order in Wyoming to guide responsible data center siting with water and grid stewardship.
6/12/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a June 3 executive order directing state agencies to propose policy changes for new data centers within 60 days amid local moratoriums.
6/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Blockmate Ventures Inc. plans Wyoming AI data center development near a substation with up to 200MW potential power capacity.
5/30/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Microsoft announced a 3,200-acre data center expansion southeast of Cheyenne, Wyoming, purchasing nearby acreage associated with Cynthia Lummis family holdings while water and energy questions remain.
5/30/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Wyoming officials assess incoming data centers in 2026, weighing electricity, water, land use, housing, and sales-tax incentives.
7/6/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Microsoft announced 420 additional acres for data center expansion near Cheyenne, Wyoming, including parcels near Laramie Community College and North Range Business Park.
5/28/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Donald Trump is promoting additional data centers for artificial intelligence competition, while Wyoming communities and Republican candidates oppose proposed facilities near Cheyenne, Casper, Wheatland, and Evanston.
9/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Blockmate Ventures is advancing a 110-acre AI data center site in Wyoming, where engineering, surveying, and partner discussions are underway.
6/16/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Blockmate Ventures is advancing engineering, surveying, and partnership discussions for a 110-acre AI data center site in Wyoming with nearby substation access and dual fiber connectivity.
6/16/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General