Spokane joins list of cities temporarily banning AI data centers
The Spokane City Council has enacted a yearlong emergency moratorium on new large data centers, specifically targeting AI data centers, following concerns about environmental impact and electricity usage. The decision was driven by revelations of Avista's plans for a 500-megawatt facility, prompting council members and community members to voice worries about resource strain and ratepayer effects.
The Spokane City Council has approved a yearlong emergency moratorium on new large data centers, particularly those supporting artificial intelligence, following a 6-1 vote. The decision stems from growing concerns among residents and council members regarding the environmental impact and strain on the power grid from such facilities.
Discontent emerged after utility company Avista revealed plans for a 500-megawatt data center, an amount equivalent to half the energy consumed by all residential and business customers in the county. Community members at a council meeting argued that the costs of data centers, especially AI-driven ones, outweigh their benefits, citing fears of job loss and environmental degradation.
Councilwoman Sarah Dixit, the youngest member, strongly advocated for the moratorium, linking environmental protection to personal decisions about family planning. Conversely, Councilman Michael Cathcart, the sole Republican, cast the dissenting vote, arguing the moratorium would stifle innovation, particularly in aerospace research, and pointed out the perceived hypocrisy in arguments against cloud-based technologies.