House District 52 Candidates Offer Sharp Contrast on Data Centers
Candidates for Oregon House District 52 sharply disagree over the benefits and impacts of Google’s five data centers in The Dalles. Republican Scott Hege defends the facilities’ economic and infrastructure contributions, while Democrat Hank Sanders supports a statewide moratorium because of concerns about water use, noise, energy and community impacts.
The race for Oregon House District 52 has made data centers a central campaign issue. Republican candidate Scott Hege, a former Port of The Dalles executive and longtime Wasco County commissioner, said Google’s five local data centers have generated tax revenue and helped strengthen the area’s water and electric infrastructure without raising utility rates.
Democratic candidate Hank Sanders said residents have raised concerns about rising water costs, noise and the facilities’ use of water. He supports pausing new data center construction statewide until lawmakers address environmental, infrastructure and community-impact questions. Oregon has temporarily paused new data center development while a governor’s advisory group prepares recommendations, although Hege favors local bans only when supported by affected communities.