Pasco approves moratorium on future data center projects
The Pasco City Council has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new data center projects. This pause allows city leaders to study the potential impacts of the rapidly growing industry on the community, including effects on electricity, water, and infrastructure, before establishing permanent regulations. The moratorium is a proactive measure, as the city has not yet received any data center applications.
The Pasco City Council has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new data centers and high-density computing operations within the city. Ordinance No. 4850, passed on Monday, July 20, temporarily halts the acceptance and processing of permits and business license applications for such facilities.
Council members clarified that this moratorium is not in response to any specific development proposal, as Pasco has not yet received applications from companies looking to build data centers. Instead, the proactive measure is intended to give city leaders time to study the industry's potential impacts on the community and establish new regulations before proposals begin to arrive, as stated by Councilmember Abel Campos.
Under current city code, data centers are permitted in Pasco's I-2 and I-3 industrial zones. Deputy Director Craig Raymond noted that existing requirements address some issues, but council members expressed a desire for more comprehensive information regarding the industry's benefits and challenges, particularly concerning electricity, water, wastewater, infrastructure, and environmental effects. Councilmember Joe Cotta specifically highlighted concerns about wastewater and the ability to supply power and water given state legislative restrictions.
City staff have been directed to return within six months with recommended land-use regulations for future data center development. Councilmember Leo Perales suggested consulting with neighboring communities like Umatilla, Hermiston, and Boardman that already host data centers to learn from their experiences. This action by Pasco follows growing interest in data center development across the Tri-Cities and nationally, with the U.S. Department of Energy projecting significant increases in data center electricity use by 2028. Several major projects from companies like Amazon, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atlas Agro, and Trammell Crow Company are already underway or being considered in the broader region.