The complete story is documented in the book The Crazies by Amy Gamerman (2025).
1. What Happened in Montana (2019)
- In 2019, billionaire Russell Gordy and several wealthy landowners sued to stop the Crazy Mountain Wind project on rancher Rick Jarrett’s land.
- The case was filed as Diana’s Great Idea LLC v. Jarrett in Park County, Montana.
- Their lawsuit argued the wind farm would be a nuisance, citing:
- Noise
- Visual impacts
- Property‑value loss
- Wildlife disruption
- Interference with rural quiet enjoyment
- Montana allows anticipatory nuisance, meaning they could sue before the project was built.
- A judge issued a preliminary injunction in March 2019, stopping construction.
- Pattern Energy withdrew; the wind farm died.
2. The Core Argument Gordy Used
Gordy and the plaintiffs argued that industrial infrastructure does not belong next to rural families, because it harms:
- Health
- Safety
- Livestock and wildlife
- Property values
- The rural landscape
This was the foundation of their successful lawsuit.
3. The Reversal in Wyoming (2024–2026)
Today, Gordy is financially and materially connected to land and resources (Falls Ranch) being used for the Prometheus Hyperscale AI Data Center — a massive industrial AI facility proposed next to rural families and ranchers in Natrona and Converse Counties.
Wyoming residents are now raising the same harms Gordy raised in Montana:
- 24/7 cooling noise
- Low‑frequency vibration
- Natural gas generator emissions
- Light pollution
- Traffic and dust
- Hazardous coolant storage
- Property‑value loss
- Incompatibility with rural residential life
In Montana, Gordy argued these impacts were unacceptable. In Wyoming, families are saying the same thing.
4. The Legal Irony
- 2019: Gordy used nuisance law to stop industrial encroachment near his land.
- 2024–2026: Wyoming families are prepared to use Wyoming laws to challenge the potential placement of a hyperscale AI Data Center Campus & generator farm next to their homes.
The roles have reversed:
- Gordy = plaintiff fighting industrial intrusion (2019)
- Wyoming families = plaintiffs fighting industrial intrusion by Gordy & Prometheus Hyperscale (2024–2026)
5. Why This Matters
The Montana case established a clear principle: Industrial megaprojects can destroy rural quality of life.
That principle does not change simply because the location or the developer changes.
Wyoming residents are now invoking the same harms, the same logic, and the same rural‑protection arguments that Gordy himself used.
The full story of the Montana conflict is detailed in book – “The Crazies” – by Amy Gamerman (2025).
References:
1. Court Cases & Legal Filings
- Diana’s Great Idea, LLC v. Jarrett, et al. Montana Sixth Judicial District Court, Park County Cause No. DV‑20‑142 (Primary nuisance lawsuit filed by Russell Gordy and other landowners to stop the Crazy Mountain Wind project.)
- Diana’s Great Idea, LLC v. Jarrett Montana Supreme Court Case No. DA 21‑0410 (Appeal involving Jarrett’s counterclaims for tortious interference and abuse of process.)
- Preliminary Injunction (March 2019) Issued by the Montana District Court halting construction of the Crazy Mountain Wind project. (This injunction is the event that effectively killed the wind farm.)
2. Factual Reporting & Public Documentation
These sources document the Montana conflict and the parties involved.
- Amy Gamerman, The Crazies (Simon & Schuster, 2025) (Primary narrative account of the Crazy Mountain Wind conflict.)
- Wall Street Journal reporting by Amy Gamerman (Earlier reporting that formed the basis for the book.)
- Pattern Energy public statements (2019) (Confirming withdrawal from the Crazy Mountain Wind project after the injunction.)
- Montana District Court filings (2018–2019) (Detailing plaintiffs’ nuisance claims: noise, viewshed, property value, wildlife impacts.)
- Montana Supreme Court docket summaries (2021) (Confirming the procedural history and reinstatement of Jarrett’s counterclaims.)
3. Factual Parallels Relevant to the Reversal of Roles
- Gordy’s Montana lawsuit argued that industrial infrastructure near rural homes harms:
- Quiet enjoyment
- Property values
- Wildlife
- Rural character
- Health and safety
- Prometheus Hyperscale AI Data Center (Wyoming) Publicly described impacts include:
- 24/7 cooling noise
- Low‑frequency vibration
- Natural gas generator emissions
- Light pollution
- Traffic and dust
- Hazardous coolant storage
- Proximity to rural homes
These parallels are factual and documented in public filings, environmental disclosures, and county‑level discussions.
Wyoming Data Center Facts | Photo: Wyoming Data Center Facts
