Spokane County commissioners to consider data center moratorium
Spokane County commissioners are considering a nine-month moratorium on new data centers, following a similar, less impactful move by Spokane City Council. This action is driven by concerns over the substantial energy and water consumption of data centers. The moratorium aims to provide time for developing regulatory frameworks for such facilities.
The Spokane County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is set to consider a nine-month moratorium on new data center developments, a move that would significantly restrict data center construction within the county. This follows a similar, less impactful, interim zoning ordinance passed by the Spokane City Council last month, which halted new data center proposals within city limits for at least a year. The county's moratorium is deemed more significant because potential large data center sites are typically located outside the city, as evidenced by a property previously for sale by commercial real estate firm Daines Capital.
Commissioners Chris Jordan and Amber Waldref are sponsoring the county's proposal, which requires support from one of the three conservative commissioners to pass. The initiative stems from growing concerns across various jurisdictions, including Kootenai County, Idaho, Snohomish County, Washington, and New York state, regarding the massive energy consumption and potential water contamination associated with data centers. The moratorium's purpose is to allow local governments time to develop appropriate regulatory frameworks for these facilities, rather than permanently blocking their development.