Cheyenne Data Center Issue Activist Says Citizens Are Being ”Steamrolled”

A Cheyenne resident who has taken an active role in the debate over data centers says the number of proposed data center projects in the area is "steamrolling" citizens.

Heather Madrid says at this point getting rid of data centers in Cheyenne isn't realistic, but she thinks local ordinances regulating the facilities need a major overhaul

Madrid says regarding data center development, "I think it is just happening so much and so quickly that it's hard for people to even keep up.,,, You know, we have the Cox Ranch Annexation that's coming back up."

"Now there's a Trammell-Crow project in Orchard Valley that's coming up. There's another Hereford Ranch project that's coming up. Most of us have full-time jobs.,,, It's not to be investigative journalists, and it's not to attend every city meeting and every data center community (event); we don't have time to do that. And I don't think we should just be steamrolling over the citizens."

"And that's what's happening."

Madrid made the comments on the ''Weekend In Wyoming' program on Saturday on AM 650, KGAB. You can hear the entire interview in the audio file at the bottom of the page.

''We're Not Acknowledging The Risks"

Later in the interview, she added: "We're not acknowledging the risks. All we're hearing about is that everything is fine and we're being hysterical. Which we're not."

She adds, "We're not making it up."

Madrid said one problem that has been reported locally and around the country, for example, is people near data centers having a hard time sleeping. Madrid says some of the centers are violating noise ordinances, but the penalties are "a slap on the wrist. Citizens have to keep complaining and complaining. But at what point is it fixed?"

She also says she thinks the permitting process for the centers in Cheyenne is "concerning" because the proposed centers only have to clear the public permitting process once "and then never again."

Madrid says that means that they can just continue expanding, "and it's just never-ending."

Madrid says at this point it's not realistic to expect the data centers to just go away. But she says the Cheyenne Unified Development Code needs updating to address the permitting issues. She says another change that's needed is new setback regulations to keep the centers from building within a quarter-mile of people's homes.'

She added, "We need better noise ordinances. There are a lot ot things that need to be changed."

Heather Madrid Data Center Interview