Umatilla declares local state of emergency over Kotek data center directive
The Umatilla City Council declared a local state of emergency over Gov. Tina Kotek's directive asking Oregon regulators to pause environmental permit applications for new or expanded data centers through July 1, 2027. Umatilla officials and Umatilla County commissioners are concerned about potential financial losses and are considering administrative or legal challenges to the pause.
The Umatilla City Council declared a local state of emergency after Gov. Tina Kotek asked the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to pause processing air and water discharge permits for new or expanded data centers until July 1, 2027. Kotek said the pause would provide time for the state's Data Center Advisory Committee to complete recommendations before the 2027 legislative session.
Assistant City Manager Melissa Ince said the city expects DEQ to follow the directive. City Manager David Stockdale said future payments connected to data center agreements and enterprise zone arrangements could be jeopardized, although the current city budget remains secure. The declaration authorizes Stockdale to coordinate with other affected governments and potentially pursue administrative or judicial remedies.
Umatilla officials also questioned whether the governor has authority to impose a statewide data center moratorium. Separately, the Umatilla County Commissioners voted to seek legal representation regarding the permit pause.