BUTTE - For the past several months, people have been collecting signatures for a ballot initiative that would give voters in Butte-Silver Bow a choice on whether or not they want data centers in the county. However, Butte’s chief executive finds the language of this initiative problematic.
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“Well, it could limit economic activity in Butte-Silver Bow. It could stop economic activity in Butte-Silver Bow,” Butte Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher said.
Gallagher claims the local initiative’s definition of a data center is too broad and could apply to any business with electronic equipment to store and transmit digital information.
“It could limit a new bank from coming into town, it could be limited any kind of economic development of anybody that has transmission of electronic data,” Gallagher said.
If passed, the initiative would not allow county government to permit or approve a data center without calling a special election in which two-thirds of registered voters approve it. Some believe data centers would increase energy rates and burden water resources. They believe the county didn’t do its due diligence when it entered into an agreement with Sabey Data Centers last year to build a facility at the Montana Connections industrial park last year. Sabey has since pulled out of the agreement.
“At some point, you got to take the keys to the car away from grandpa, because he’s not driving right. And sometimes citizens need to take the keys away from the government and assert our power,” Initiative supporter Eric Nyland said.
Gallagher thinks the initiative is misleading.
“You’re asking the people to vote on something that they don’t understand. I think there's a lot of misinformation out there,” Gallagher said.
Some believe opponents of the initiative are trying to scare people away from signing it.
“If these guys want to tweak the bill a little bit after it passes, that’s fine. But you know, I’m an economic developer for 26 years; that idea that that would turn away business is pure baloney,” Initiative supporter Evan Barrett said.
They have until the end of August to get more than 3,600 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.
