Data centers put under 6-month pause in Snohomish County
Snohomish County leaders have enacted a six-month moratorium on new data center development in unincorporated areas to allow time to create formal regulations. This decision follows concerns about the industry's impacts on land use, infrastructure, and demand for energy and water. County Councilman Nate Nehring proposed the pause, citing the rapid growth of data centers driven by AI.
The Snohomish County Council has unanimously enacted a six-month moratorium on new data center construction on unincorporated land within the county. The freeze is intended to provide county leaders with time to develop formal rules and regulations for data center development.
County Councilman Nate Nehring, who proposed the moratorium, stated that while data centers support digital services, their impacts on land use, infrastructure, energy, and water demand are a significant concern for residents. The decision follows similar actions by other local governments, including Skagit County and the City of Seattle, to pause data center development and establish regulations. The ordinance was issued on an emergency basis.
The initiative comes amidst a national trend of rapidly increasing data center construction, fueled in part by the demands of artificial intelligence. These facilities are known for their high electricity consumption and significant water usage for cooling. A May 2026 Goldman Sachs briefing projected U.S. data center power usage to more than double between 2025 and 2027, potentially straining power grids, particularly in regions like the Pacific Northwest. Snohomish County's new rule defines data centers as any computing center requiring an anticipated electricity load of two megawatts or greater.
During the six-month pause, the County Council plans to solicit public opinion on the matter, with Councilman Nehring's office having already created a public survey on draft regulations.