Fact check: Where McKinney, Duresky stand on Tri-City AI data center boom
Candidates Amanda McKinney and John Duresky agree that local communities should control where data centers are built in Central Washington. Pasco has imposed a six-month moratorium on data center permits, while the candidates also discussed water protection, energy-grid strain and new power sources.
Republican Amanda McKinney and Democrat John Duresky, candidates for Washington’s 4th Congressional District, said local communities should have the final say over data center siting. Their positions come as at least four large facilities have been proposed in the Tri-Cities region and Pasco has enacted a six-month moratorium on data center licenses and permits.
Both candidates raised concerns about the effect of data centers on water resources, utility costs and the region’s strained electricity grid. McKinney said communities should benefit from development and discussed nuclear generation at Hanford, while Duresky said data centers should provide their own power and praised plans by Avalanche Energy Designs to develop a fusion-energy manufacturing plant in partnership with the Tri-City Development Council.