Labor Groups Push Back on Water-Use Concerns Ahead of Quantica Data Center Build
Some Montana and Wyoming-based unions are advocating new technologies in their support for the construction of new data centers. Riley McCauley is with the Western States Carpenters Union. He says concerns about massive water usage to cool data centers are not warranted with today’s advances in technology.
Riley McCauley
McCauley was a guest this week on Voices of Montana, with Tom Schultz, discussing the proposed five-thousand-acre Quantica data center expected to break ground later this year near Broadview.
State Insurance Commissioner Brown Urges Montanans to Boost Flood Coverage After Devastating December Storms
Montana’s State Insurance Commissioner James Brown is urging residents to review their insurance policies after last month’s devastating flooding and windstorms in Northwest Montana. Brown’s office has been on the ground in Libby and surrounding communities, hearing from families returning to homes damaged by floodwaters and debris. He says many Montanans are discovering too late that standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. Brown is encouraging homeowners to consider separate flood policies to better protect their property before future storms strike.
Montana Tourism Shifts Toward High-Spending Luxury Travelers
Montana’s tourism landscape is shifting toward luxury. While the number of visitors dipped nearly four percent last year to thirteen-point-eight million, nonresident spending actually surged twelve percent to a record five-point-six billion dollars. Economists say guests are getting older and wealthier, with over half of visitors now earning more than one-hundred-thousand dollars annually.
