Spokane County Residents Voice Data Center Concerns; Moratorium and Policies Proposed
Spokane County residents are expressing strong concerns over data center development, prompting extended public comment sessions. Commissioner Al French, who previously met with a developer, addressed "misinformation" and clarified his focus on hydrogen fuel, with data centers only recently entering the discussion. The county is currently weighing proposals for a data center construction moratorium and new policies for noise restrictions.
Spokane County residents continue to voice significant concerns regarding potential data center developments, a topic that intensified after public records requests revealed Commissioner Al French had met with a data center developer. During a recent Tuesday agenda meeting, public comment was extended to 30 minutes, allowing randomly chosen participants to address the council directly about their concerns. Some residents questioned the commission's plans and challenged Commissioner French's previous statement regarding the patriotism of those who oppose data centers, a sentiment French denied having expressed.
Commissioner Al French subsequently addressed the public, aiming to correct what he termed "misinformation" and "conspiracy theories." He clarified that his primary interest had been in the development of hydrogen fuel sources, and that data centers only became part of the conversation within the last year.
The county is actively considering multiple proposals related to data center construction. These include a potential moratorium on new data center construction and another proposal, sponsored by Commissioner French, which seeks to establish temporary policies to enforce noise restrictions and address other key concerns. Discussions on these proposals are expected to continue over the coming weeks.