Montana Ranchers Question Massive Solar Project

The $1.2-billion solar farm would provide power to data centers owned by Microsoft, Meta, and others.

1 minute read

May 13, 2024, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Black cow grazing in field with mountains in background in Montana.

Carrie / Adobe Stock

Residents near Cheyenne, Montana are expressing concern about a $1.2-billion solar farm project that will provide power to data centers nearby, reports Pat Maio in Cowboy State Daily.

The project will include over 1 million solar panels and a large battery storage system to be built on land leased from local property owners. “The proposed site is on virgin dry prairie grasslands that receive little rainfall and is subject to frequent high winds and hailstorms,” prompting concerns about potential lithium-based fires. The project infrastructure could also damage the fragile grassland ecosystem and have spillover effects on adjacent ranchland, while construction will bring hundreds of trucks through the area over two years. 

According to Paio, “Wyoming’s Industrial Siting Council, the governmental body within the Department of Environmental Quality that considers such solar farm project proposals, approved the construction project in March, a 90-day fast track for the concept, which still needs approval from Laramie County commissioners.”

Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Cowboy State Daily

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

2 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

4 hours ago - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation