Online Poll: Should The Cheyenne City Council Approve a Data Center Moratorium?

The Cheyenne City Council Public Services Committee on Monday got an earful from both sides of the data center debate and a proposed moratorium.

Councilman Mark Moody has proposed the 12-month moratorium, which would not affect existing data centers or those already under construction. You can read his proposed ordinance here.

Council Committee Doesn't Take A Stand

After hearing multiple comments from both supporters and opponents of the moratorium on Monday, the Public Services Committee declined to make a recommendation one way or the other. It should be mentioned that unlike committees in the Wyoming Legislature or U.S. Congress, Cheyenne City Council Committees do not approve or kill proposed legislation. They do make non-binding recommendations to the full council in favor of or against proposals.

But in this case, the committee declined to make a recommendation pro or con.

Union members concerned about losing out on construction projects were out in force at the committee hearing. Ryan told the committee that a moratorium wont fix any problems, and will instead "eliminate the jobs entirely." He told committee members the centers will contribute to the entire local economy.

But Cheyenne resident Heather Madrid, who has been circulating a petition calling for a moratorium, said study is needed before moving forward. In a recent interview with KGAB radio, Madrid said that while she's not against data centers across the board, she thinks a break is needed to study their impacts and consider who they might be managed in Cheyenne.

So what do you think? Do you support Councilman Mark Moody's proposed moratorium? Or maybe you think it doesn't go far enough and Cheyenne should just pull the plug on data centers?

Or maybe you think we should take advantage of the economic impacts before the centers go somewhere else..and Cheyenne gets left out in the cold?

Take our poll and give us your opinion!