Tonight: Salem city leaders consider AI data center moratorium
Salem City Council is holding a special meeting to consider a 60 or 120-day moratorium on new AI data center developments. This comes after resident opposition due to concerns about land use and drinking water, and a pending application from Verrus for a data center project.
Salem City Council will convene a special meeting Monday evening to deliberate on enacting a formal moratorium on all new AI data center developments. The proposed pause would be in effect for either 60 or 120 days.
This consideration follows public opposition from several Salem residents who expressed concerns about land use and potential impacts on public resources, particularly drinking water. The city currently has a pending application from California-based Verrus for its Oakline at Mill Creek data center campus in southeast Salem. Last week, Governor Tina Kotek also ordered the state to withdraw a land sale associated with the project.
In related action, City Councilors previously voted to establish a nine-member Data Center Task Force. This group is charged with researching the potential impacts of data center facilities on public resources, holding town halls, evaluating existing data center policies, and developing recommendations for the city council by the end of 2026.