Spokane: Council Members Introduce An Ordinance Imposing Data Center Moratorium

~ Spokane City Council Members Paul Dillon, Sarah Dixit, and Kate Telis have introduced an ordinance that would impose a one-year moratorium on the construction of new computer data centers within the city. The ordinance, which was announced by Lisa Gardner, the City Council Communications Director, aims to address concerns raised by communities about the negative impacts of data centers.

According to Council Member Paul Dillon, this move is necessary as data centers have been driving up utility costs and causing water and noise pollution in communities across the country. He believes that it is important for the city to have a regulatory framework in place to mitigate these issues and ensure a positive impact on both the economy and the environment.

The moratorium will provide time for the city to evaluate its readiness for such projects in relation to its Comprehensive Plan, Water Conservation Plan, Water System Plan, and economic development strategy. It also allows for public input before any potential projects are approved.

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Mayor Lisa Brown has expressed her support for this proposal, stating that Spokane currently lacks the necessary framework to properly site and permit data centers. She believes that the moratorium will give them time to plan for future development while considering neighborhood and environmental impacts.

Council Member Kate Telis also supports the moratorium, citing concerns about water use, grid reliability, environmental impacts, and costs to ratepayers. She believes that until these issues are addressed by data center developers, expanding such facilities cannot be supported. The moratorium will give them time to ensure that Spokane residents are protected before moving forward.

Council Member Sarah Dixit highlighted the disastrous consequences of energy-intensive data centers popping up across the country. She believes that this unregulated industry benefits large tech companies at the expense of community members. As local government's responsibility is to protect its community, she sees this moratorium as a necessary step in achieving that goal.

The Spokane City Council is set to discuss this ordinance on Monday, June 15th. The meeting is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend and share their perspectives on the issue before any action is taken. With this moratorium, the city hopes to address concerns and create a regulatory framework that will benefit both the economy and the environment.

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