La Pine Residents Push for Data Center Regulations - The Source
La Pine, Oregon residents, through the South County Collective Action group, are gathering signatures for a petition to establish regulations for future data centers in the city. The initiative seeks to set standards for noise, lighting, water, and electricity usage after the City Council recently rejected a bitcoin mining data center proposal due to high electricity consumption concerns. This effort aims to prevent nuisances and ensure accountability from any future data center developments.
La Pine, Oregon residents, led by chief petitioner Deren Ash and the campaign group South County Collective Action (SCCA), are launching an initiative to establish comprehensive regulations for any future data center developments within the city. The effort involves gathering signatures for a petition to place the initiative on the November 2026 ballot, requiring 362 valid signatures.
This move follows the La Pine City Council's rejection in late May of a proposal for a bitcoin mining data center, primarily due to concerns over its projected electricity usage—estimated to be 15 times the city's current production. While the specific proposal was blocked, organizers like Ash believe La Pine remains an attractive location for data centers due to its electricity rates, making future preventative measures necessary.
The proposed regulations address several community concerns, including noise pollution, with a suggested limit of 55 dBA (comparable to a refrigerator hum) during nighttime hours (8 pm to 7 am) and a ban on low-frequency noise. Light pollution is also a key focus, with proposals for shielded, downward-focused lighting using warm golden-amber tones, and prohibitions on façade, decorative, searchlight, and uplighting. Furthermore, the initiative emphasizes accountability, mandating annual reports from data centers detailing their electricity and water consumption, generator runtime, and full-time employee numbers. Ash clarified that the initiative is not anti-AI but rather targets the community impact of data centers.