BILLINGS — More than 100 people packed the Fortin Auditorium at Rocky Mountain College Tuesday night to discuss a proposed 5,000-acre artificial intelligence data center planned just south of Broadview.
The project is being developed by Quantica Infrastructure, who hopes to complete it by next year.
Watch the scene of the meeting below:
A panel of four experts, including Montana Environmental Information Center Executive Director Anne Hedges, Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne grassroots organizer Krystal Two Bulls, hydrogeologist Jon Reiten and Broadview area resident Cari Olson spoke to the public about potential dangers associated with data centers during the two-hour meeting.
In the presentation, panelists stated that at least 25 data centers nationwide have been canceled as a result of community pushback.
The discussion covered concerns ranging from high energy bills to impacts on water resources and public health issues.
Several people said that they do not want a data center built near Broadview.
"It's not gonna help us here. You know, we're farmers. We do a little bit in the oil business. We all struggle every day in the data mines. It's expensive, it takes a lot of water, takes a lot of energy. Power bills are going up every month," attendee Eric Olsen said Tuesday night before the meeting.
Related:
Proposed AI data centers raise environmental concerns in Montana
Proposed AI data center sparks debate in rural Montana
