Kotek wants data center rules in 60 days. County chair says decisions should stay local
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek plans to propose statewide data center rules covering water use, electricity, power sourcing and corporate disclosures during the first 60 days of the 2027 legislative session. Wasco County Commission Chair Scott Hege supports transparency but argues local governments should retain control over projects, including Google’s data centers in The Dalles. Kotek has also paused some state land requests and environmental permit processing for new or expanded facilities, while Columbia Riverkeeper is calling for a three-year statewide development pause.
Gov. Tina Kotek plans to introduce legislation early in Oregon’s 2027 legislative session to establish statewide standards for data center water and electricity use, power sourcing, disclosures and community commitments. The proposal comes as Oregon’s data center count has grown from eight in 2000 to about 123 in 2025, prompting concerns about infrastructure, utility costs and resource use.
Wasco County Commission Chair Scott Hege, who helped bring Google to The Dalles, opposes state control over local project decisions. Google has operated data centers in the city since 2006 and used 434 million gallons of water in 2024, according to city records. Hege supports public access to water and energy-use information and cited Google’s local investments, while Columbia Riverkeeper is seeking a three-year statewide pause on new development.
Kotek has directed state agencies to pause pending requests to use state-owned land for new data centers and instructed the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to pause certain air and water permits for new or expanded facilities through July 1, 2027. The 2025 POWER Act also requires regulators to create a separate electricity rate class for qualifying large energy users, and lawmakers will consider whether future rules should apply differently to new construction and upgrades at existing facilities.