Proposed La Pine-area data center sparks backlash ahead of city council meeting

A proposed 20-megawatt data center in southern Deschutes County, Oregon, developed by BoxMiner, is generating significant public opposition ahead of a La Pine City Council meeting. Residents and the group "Say No the La Pine Data Center" are voicing concerns about the project's high energy consumption and potential environmental impacts, particularly regarding BoxMiner's untested closed-loop cooling system, which they claim could lead to economic and environmental issues despite reducing water usage. The Sunriver La Pine Economic Development Board (SLED) initially brought the data center proposal to the City of La Pine, with BoxMiner representative Jeff Keller presenting to the City Council on March 11. Although the Council later voted unanimously to advance a potential land sale, City Manager Geoff Wullschlager clarified that this vote was non-binding and no final decisions or sales have been approved. Discussions at council meetings revealed discrepancies in projected financial benefits, such as franchise fees for the city, and a lack of established performance data for BoxMiner's cooling technology, as acknowledged by Keller. Further complicating the process, Deschutes County must approve the final land sale, and the developer must undergo both a city land use review and a county building review. A protest by concerned residents is anticipated at the upcoming Wednesday night city council meeting at La Pine City Hall, highlighting the ongoing community resistance to the project.