… This summer, outgoing Gov. Mark Gordon signed an executive order titled “Data Centers the Wyoming Way” that he said would “guide responsible development in Wyoming,” while keeping the state an attractive landing spot for the enormous server warehouses that power the AI industry. Data centers’ potential impacts on Wyoming’s precious water supply, already-rising electricity prices and prized public lands have rankled many corners of the state. Gordon acknowledged those concerns in a statement accompanying the release of the order, which is not binding. Environmental groups in Wyoming agree that there need to be more guardrails on data center development, but they are not fully aligned on how to achieve that goal. 

Other data center water use news:

• Las Vegas Review-Journal: BLM to reconsider Boulder City data center application on federal land
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Kevin O’Leary’s Utah data center again draws protests over Great Salt Lake water
• Colorado Newsline: Opinion: State’s inaction leaves Colorado communities vulnerable to data center harms