Plans for huge 'man camp' for thousands of data center construction workers enrage Wyoming locals

[1srelluc]

MSN

Wyoming residents are in an uproar over plans to build a “man camp” to house thousands of out-of-state workers flocking to the region to build massive, power-hungry data centers — the latest instance of Americans revolting against such projects.

Local officials are weighing a pitch from project developer Iron Guard Housing for a “temporary workforce housing complex” for as many as 5,600 laborers and townspeople in the state capital Cheyenne, according to the Wall Street Journal.

State data shows the new complex would be a small city in itself, larger than 84 of Wyoming’s incorporated cities and towns – and those who remember previous “man camps” erected during labor booms are sounding the alarm.

Well, I don't know what else they expected when the data centers were approved.

Few small towns can absorb the lodging needed for the thousands of construction workers who descend on an area to build-out those Mega data centers.

My town/county is revisiting what can be built "by right" since a company that buys land for data centers bought 120 acres along the Shenandoah River.

 

[Hafar1014]

Data centers create great jobs are the furure and destroy renewable energy. Win Win Win

 

[Senior]

They are voracious, grid-straining energy hogs.
They consume water at an alarming rate.
They impose heavy burdens on local communities.

 

[Polishprince]

What did the western states do when they were building the intercontinental railroads?

Did the locals complain about the camps of coolie labor in the region back in the day?

 

[westwall]

What did the western states do when they were building the intercontinental railroads?

Did the locals complain about the camps of coolie labor in the region back in the day?

The camps moved with the railroad. Rarely did they stay in one place more than a month.

 

[kevinthrowe]

MSN

Wyoming residents are in an uproar over plans to build a “man camp” to house thousands of out-of-state workers flocking to the region to build massive, power-hungry data centers — the latest instance of Americans revolting against such projects.

Local officials are weighing a pitch from project developer Iron Guard Housing for a “temporary workforce housing complex” for as many as 5,600 laborers and townspeople in the state capital Cheyenne, according to the Wall Street Journal.

State data shows the new complex would be a small city in itself, larger than 84 of Wyoming’s incorporated cities and towns – and those who remember previous “man camps” erected during labor booms are sounding the alarm.

Well, I don't know what else they expected when the data centers were approved.

Few small towns can absorb the lodging needed for the thousands of construction workers who descend on an area to build-out those Mega data centers.

My town/county is revisiting what can be built "by right" since a company that buys land for data centers bought 120 acres along the Shenandoah River.

Like the Alaska pipe line tent cities .
These are great honest workers?

 

[Darkwind]

The question goes begging. Do the people in that region of Wyoming have the skills necessary to do the work? Are there enough of them to get the work done in a timely manner?

 

[1srelluc]

The question goes begging. Do the people in that region of Wyoming have the skills necessary to do the work? Are there enough of them to get the work done in a timely manner?

That's not the point, of course they don't, but it sure does not look like they planned ahead.

Or maybe they did and did not inform the public that they are supposed to serve.

 

[kevinthrowe]

The question goes begging. Do the people in that region of Wyoming have the skills necessary to do the work? Are there enough of them to get the work done in a timely manner?

Basically no
Unions live on travels
Adding a lot to cost
Food and board

 

[Harry Dresden]

The camps moved with the railroad. Rarely did they stay in one place more than a month.

lol...im surprised you had to say that....

 

[westwall]

lol...im surprised you had to say that....

It's a fact. Railroad camps were wall tents carried on the flatbed cars. They get to the end of the line and pitch em.

Crossing the plains the rate of rail laying was so great that the camps rarely stood for more than a few days before they moved on.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

They are voracious, grid-straining energy hogs.
They consume water at an alarming rate.
They impose heavy burdens on local communities.

They consume less water than a typical golf course.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

A sudden influx of people to an area puts a strain on local resources, but the largest problem they will likely encounter is the increase in public drunkenness and brawling, just like the fracking boom in the Dakotas 15 years ago.

 

[Harry Dresden]

It's a fact. Railroad camps were wall tents carried on the flatbed cars. They get to the end of the line and pitch em.

Crossing the plains the rate of rail laying was so great that the camps rarely stood for more than a few days before they moved on.

hey i watched Hell on Wheels.....they covered that pretty good...

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Wyoming needs to wake up......building 'man camps' for a new high profile project is how America was/is built from Columbus days.

Just for instance.....20-ish years ago, North Dakota had a boom for drilling oil, built these 'man camps' and was hiring thousands for that. Many people from here joined the crowd because the offered wages were near doubled of anything in WA.. Many stayed after, many moved on or came back.

Same with anything else, anywhere else

 

[westwall]

hey i watched Hell on Wheels.....they covered that pretty good...

Never saw it. When I lived on the res we used to go dig up the outhouses for bottles and such.

 

[1srelluc]

Never saw it. When I lived on the res we used to go dig up the outhouses for bottles and such.

The reason they were moved was because they were filled with firewater bottles.

LOL....Back when my grandparents had an outhouse it was built on skids and when it was time to "clean" it they waited till the wind was blowing away from the house they hooked to it and moved it out of the way then set the shit pit on fire.

Once done they put some lime in it, moved the outhouse back, and it was ready to go again.

 

[OKTexas]

Americans love their high tech gizmos, but don't want the infrastructure required to run it, ie the storage to save their data to the cloud in case one of their gizmos crashes.

.

 

[Concerned American]

They consume less water than a typical golf course.

This is the water consumption of a small town.
A typical data center can consume 300,000 gallons of water per day, while larger facilities may use up to 5 million gallons per day, equivalent to the water use of a small town.
natureforward.org Brookings

 

[1srelluc]

Americans love their high tech gizmos, but don't want the infrastructure required to run it, ie the storage to save their data to the cloud in case one of their gizmos crashes.

.

The spying is an extra added bonus.