Seattle passes moratorium on new data centers amid national backlash
Seattle City Council unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on new large data centers, responding to public opposition and concerns over electricity and water consumption. The city will also conduct a study on the impacts of data centers on its infrastructure and environment. This action follows proposals for five new data center projects in the city.
The Seattle City Council unanimously voted 9-0 to enact a one-year moratorium on new large data centers exceeding 20 megavolt-amperes, with Mayor Katie Wilson expressing support to sign the bill. This decision also includes a mandate for a study into the data centers' impacts on Seattle's electrical grid, water usage, utility rates, land use, jobs, and public health.
This action follows public outcry after four unnamed companies proposed five large data center projects, which would have significantly increased the city's power consumption. Fifty-two members of the public spoke in favor of the moratorium, citing environmental concerns, water consumption, and the broader societal impacts of AI, leading to several developers withdrawing their plans. Councilmembers like Eddie Lin, Debora Juarez, and Alexis Mercedes Rinck voiced strong opposition, emphasizing the need to prioritize residents' well-being over corporate profits.
Seattle joins over 70 other US cities and counties with similar bans. The article also notes Skagit County's recent six-month data center moratorium and a failed Washington state bill that would have imposed grid cost coverage and disclosure requirements on large data centers. New York is also considering a statewide temporary ban on large data center construction.