McKenzie County Farmer - Latest News

Travis Bateman
Farmer Staff Writer

As discussions surrounding artificial intelligence, data centers, natural gas utilization, and economic diversification continue to gain momentum across North Dakota, McKenzie County and Watford City leaders are taking a different approach than many communities that have found themselves reacting to proposed projects after they arrive.

Instead, local officials say they are focused on being proactive and with education first.
According to McKenzie County Economic Development Director Meghan Taunton, the county’s recent efforts-including an educational trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and a public information open house scheduled for June 25-are intended to provide residents, elected officials, landowners, and stakeholders with factual information long before any specific data center proposal is submitted in McKenzie County.

“Our goal has been to proactively provide residents, landowners, business owners, elected officials, and other stakeholders with factual information relevant to North Dakota and McKenzie County before any specific project is under consideration,” Taunton explained.
County officials emphasized that the educational efforts are being led independently by McKenzie County and are not affiliated with any developer, company, or proposed project. They also stressed that the programs are not intended to advocate for or against data centers, natural gas projects, zoning changes, or future policy decisions.

Education Before Development
Taunton said local officials recognized that conversations about data centers and large-scale natural gas utilization were increasing at both the state and national levels.
Rather than waiting until a formal proposal arrives, county officials decided to begin educating the public on the potential opportunities and challenges associated with the rapidly growing industry.

“We believe informed discussions are best held when people have access to objective information and the opportunity to ask questions, not after decisions are already being made,” Taunton said.

The approach differs from many communities around the country that first learned of proposed developments after project announcements, often triggering controversy and public concern.

Across the United States, data center development has become one of the most debated economic development topics of 2026, with dozens of projects delayed, challenged, or placed under moratoriums amid concerns over electrical demand, water use, land use, infrastructure impacts, and local control.

Learning from 
Wyoming’s Experience
To better understand the issue, McKenzie County Economic Development organized an educational trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in June.

The delegation included local elected officials, Planning and Zoning representatives, county and city staff, and community stakeholders.

Cheyenne was selected because it has more than a decade of experience hosting major data center developments and supporting infrastructure.

The itinerary was coordinated by Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development organization serving Cheyenne and Laramie County. The agenda was built around questions submitted by participants beforehand.

During the trip, attendees met with representatives from major technology companies including Microsoft and Meta, utility providers, economic development organizations, planners, elected officials, and public utility representatives.

Topics discussed included:
• Economic impacts and tax revenue.
• Electrical generation and transmission requirements.
• Water consumption and cooling technologies.
• Land use planning and zoning.
• Workforce development.
• Housing and quality-of-life impacts.
• Infrastructure investment.
• Community integration.
• Lessons learned from more than ten years of development activity.
Participants also toured industrial parks and business districts where data centers and supporting infrastructure have been built.

According to Taunton, the ability to speak directly with communities that have already navigated these issues provided insight that could not be replicated through reports or online research.

“The greatest value of this trip was the opportunity to engage with and learn directly from a community that has been navigating these issues for years,” she said.

Local Leaders and Community Members Participate
The educational trip included a broad cross-section of local government officials, planning and zoning representatives, economic development leaders, utility representatives, and community members from across McKenzie County.

Participants included McKenzie County Commissioners Howdy Lawlar, Craig Hystad, Kathy Skarda, and Joel Brown. Lawlar and Hystad also serve on the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission, while Brown serves on the Job Development Authority. Planning and Zoning Chairman Cody Knetzger and Keene Township Planning and Zoning representative Nathan Brenna also participated.

Representing local government and economic development interests were McKenzie County Economic Development Director Meghan Taunton, along with City of Watford City representatives Vawnita Best, Jake Walters, Marco Pelton, Chelsea Bulzomi, and Carissa Suter.

The delegation also included community stakeholders and residents Paul Sorenson, Desiree Sorenson, and Cullen Wagner. John Carns, who serves with McKenzie Electric Cooperative and the Job Development Authority, also participated in the discussions.

County officials noted that the diverse makeup of the group was intentional, providing perspectives from county government, municipal government, utilities, planning and zoning, economic development organizations, and local residents. Organizers said the goal was to ensure that a variety of viewpoints and community interests were represented while gathering information and lessons learned from Wyoming’s experience with data center development.

Why Data Centers Matter 
to North Dakota
Interest in data centers has accelerated nationwide due to explosive growth in cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies.

North Dakota has increasingly become part of those conversations because of several competitive advantages:
• Abundant energy production.
• Significant natural gas resources.
• Cooler climate conditions.
• Available land.
• Existing industrial infrastructure.
• Growing interest in utilizing stranded or flared natural gas.
State officials have increasingly promoted North Dakota as a location capable of supporting future AI-related infrastructure. At the same time, several large projects have emerged across the state.

One of the highest-profile examples is Applied Digital’s multibillion-dollar investment near Harwood in eastern North Dakota. The company is constructing a major AI-focused data center campus and has also explored opportunities in western North Dakota.

Supporters argue data centers can diversify local economies, generate tax revenue, create construction jobs, and help monetize North Dakota’s energy resources.2

Critics, however, question whether the facilities provide enough long-term employment relative to their energy and infrastructure demands.

Oliver County Debate 
Draws Statewide Attention
Many of the questions now being raised in McKenzie County mirror those recently debated in Oliver County, where a proposed Applied Digital facility generated significant public discussion.

In March, Oliver County commissioners approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center construction while studying the issue and gathering additional information from residents and industry representatives. Public meetings drew hours of testimony from both supporters and opponents.

Residents expressed concerns about:
• Electrical grid impacts.
• Water consumption.
• Loss of agricultural land.
• Noise and quality-of-life issues.
• Long-term economic benefits.
• Local control over development decisions.
After additional review and discussion, county commissioners later repealed the moratorium, allowing projects to move forward while continuing to evaluate zoning and permitting considerations.

The Oliver County debate became one of the most closely watched examples of how rural North Dakota communities are grappling with emerging AI infrastructure projects.
The discussion also highlighted broader questions about who should ultimately regulate data center development-the state, local governments, or a combination of both.

Concerns Being 
Raised Nationwide
While data centers have been promoted as a key component of future economic growth, opposition has also grown across the country.

Communities have increasingly questioned issues such as:
• Massive electrical consumption.
• Water usage for cooling systems.
• Infrastructure costs.
• Property tax incentives.
• Traffic and construction impacts.
• Workforce housing needs.
• Long-term land use planning.
• Environmental and wildlife impacts.
Recent reports indicate dozens of proposed projects nationwide have faced delays, moratoriums, or local opposition campaigns.

In Wyoming, where McKenzie County leaders recently traveled, rapid growth has created additional conversations about housing, workforce accommodations, infrastructure expansion, and community character. Proposed worker housing developments associated with future data center construction have generated public debate in Cheyenne as the region experiences continued growth.

State and local officials across the country continue to balance economic development opportunities with concerns about resource consumption and community impacts.

Accurate Information 
Rather than Chatter
County officials say the goal is not to persuade residents toward a particular position but to ensure the community has access to accurate information before future decisions may be required.

With data center development rapidly becoming one of the most discussed economic development issues in North Dakota, McKenzie County leaders say understanding both the opportunities and potential challenges is essential.

Whether future projects eventually emerge in McKenzie County or not, officials believe the community is better served by having the conversation now-before any specific proposal reaches the planning table.