Hillsboro Rally Protests Data Center Development; City Expects Pause in Applications
Community members in Hillsboro, Oregon, rallied to protest ongoing data center development in Washington County, criticizing political leaders for a perceived lack of oversight. Organizers called for an immediate moratorium on data center construction and incentives due to environmental and health concerns. The City of Hillsboro, while having disregarded previous calls for a moratorium, anticipates a de facto pause in new data center applications after May 2026 due to approval process timelines, and city officials are exploring options for future applications.
Community members, including the Portland Democratic Socialists of America (Portland DSA), held a rally in Hillsboro, Oregon, on May 16 to protest rapid data center development in rural Washington County. Speakers, including Hillsboro farmer Jacob Roloff, Oregon Senate District 15 challenger Myrna Munoz, and environmental justice organizer Maleek McKenzie, condemned what they called a "data center disaster" and criticized political leaders, including incumbent Senator Janeen Sollman and Governor Tina Kotek, for allowing development with insufficient oversight.
Opponents voiced concerns about the impact of data centers on health, safety, water, land, and electricity, and demanded transparency regarding decisions. They also called for an immediate moratorium on data center construction and economic incentives at all levels of government. This rally occurred amid frustrations after the City of Hillsboro previously disregarded calls for a moratorium and instead extended data center tax breaks through 2051, which organizers described as an unprecedented public subsidy to corporations like Google and Amazon.
In response to inquiries about the rally, Hillsboro Communications Manager Patrick Preston indicated that due to the approval process timeline, the City of Hillsboro anticipates a de facto pause in new data center applications after May 7, 2026, before a June 6, 2026, "moratorium date." Mayor Pace confirmed that staff are exploring all options, including outright refusal of application approvals and evaluating legal obligations for the Enterprise Zone program. The City Council is scheduled to discuss data centers further at a June 2 work session, with the Mayor stating no further applications are being approved beyond the original 17 data center-specific applications.