President Trump Endorses Data Centers, Fuels Montana Debate

The topic of AI data centers has been a hot one in our community for some time now. People all across Montana have been very vocal about their feelings toward proposed data centers.

I've seen a majority of feedback consist of people opposing data centers citing several concerns about energy and water usage, noise pollution, and even concerns about how much in taxes these centers would pay.

Now, the debate is heating up following comments made by President Trump about data centers.

Is The President Right About AI Data Centers?

While speaking at the Environmental Protection Agency, President Trump made some comments about AI data centers and the feedback he's received about them.

"You have the communities that really want the data centers and frankly, those are the smart communities because it means tremendous numbers of jobs, very little actual disruption," President Trump said, "and the ones that don't want it, you know, the happiest people in the world are foreign countries number one."

ALSO READ: Why AI Data Centers Might Be Good For Montana

"And number two, other communities within our country... because they're begging for them to be there and some of them are great communities very very forward-looking communities."

I don't know about you but I haven't heard of anyone in Montana begging for a data center. That said - should they be?

Myth vs. Reality: Water Usage and AI Data Centers

Let's start with the concern about water. At one point, data centers were heavily reliant on cooling towers and blasting through insane amounts of water due to evaporation. But now, current data centers are shifting to "closed-loop liquid cooling" and air-cooled designs for minimal water consumption.

Some new centers even operate with air-assisted economizers that use zero water for daily server cooling according to Lawrence Berkeley National Library's 2024 U.S. Data Center Energy Usage Report.

Modern data centers use about 300,000 gallons of water a day... less than the 312,000 a day consumed by an average golf course according to Tara EV. Courses in more arid climates use between 1 and 2 million gallons of water per day.

Great Falls has four major golf courses.

Myth vs. Reality: Energy Usage and AI Data Centers

Then there's the energy usage concern with some worried that data centers will drive up power bills and consume too much energy.

Data center companies are alleviating that with their own infrastructure that supports the energy grid and everyone using it.

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According to CoreWeave, "additional substations, transmission upgrades, and expanded capacity become part of the permanent regional grid, serving all customers who rely on it."

They even construct their own backup systems and essentially maintain their own energy so it doesn't become a burden on the community.

Myth vs. Reality: Noise Pollution and AI Data Centers

According to Noise Monitoring Services, most residential zones have set limits between 45-55 dBA (A-weighted decibels) whereas places like Helena have decibel limits between 50 and 55 dBA and Billings has resident dBA limits ranging between 60 and 65 dBA.

Without sound control measures, Noise Monitoring Services says data centers reach residential zones at about 60 dBA. With control measures, NMS says it could take that down about 11 dBA and get the noise to about 49 dBA - the equivalent to steady rain, a quiet neighborhood, or a steady hum of a home refrigerator.

ALSO READ: The Truth About What It's Like to Work for Janicki

If there are noise compliance issues, it's the data center's job to fix it. They're not allowed to ignore it and torture you with decibel levels above the threshold.

Is President Trump Onto Something with Data Centers?

If you're concerned about property taxes being paid by data centers, I have a whole breakdown video below with Cascade County Commissioner Joe Briggs and debunks the myth that data centers would somehow be "exempt" from taxes via "rebates" and what not.

So, what do you think? Should Montana be "begging" for a data center? Check out all of the benefits HERE and let me know what you think!