Regulatory Environment
DNRC water permits, DEQ air quality, MEPA review, and local zoning considerations.
Water Permit
12-24 mo
Air Permit
120-180 days
Permitting Timelines
Critical Path Dependencies (Months)
Permitting Roadmap Overview
Montana permitting involves state agencies (DNRC for water, DEQ for air) and local zoning (Flathead Valley). The Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) serves as the state-level equivalent of NEPA and can be weaponized by opposition groups.
DNRC Water Permit
Beneficial Water Use Permit (Form 600) required for any groundwater appropriation. Timeline: 12-24 months if contested. Requires hydrogeological assessment proving "no adverse effect" on existing water rights. Mitigation banking may be required.
DEQ Air Quality Permit
Air Quality Permit for Tier 4 Final diesel generators via "Synthetic Minor" pathway. Timeline: 60-120 days. Cap operations at <500 hrs/year to stay below 100-ton/year major source threshold. Significantly faster than Title V permitting (12-18 months) required for older Tier 2 engines.
Local Zoning: Flathead Valley
Generally pro-property rights jurisdiction, but rising "NIMBY" sentiment regarding crypto/data centers consuming local power capacity. Early community engagement recommended to pre-empt opposition.
MEPA Risk
Montana Environmental Policy Act review is required for state permits (Air/Water). This process can be weaponized by opposition groups to delay groundbreaking through administrative challenges and public comment periods.
Zero-Water Strategy Benefit
Adopting closed-loop cooling eliminates the DNRC water permit entirely, removing 12-24 months of regulatory risk and the most contentious permitting pathway. This is the recommended approach for GlacierScale.