Spokane council delays data center moratorium until at least next week

The Spokane City Council has postponed a vote on an emergency one-year moratorium on new data centers, pushing the decision to at least next week. The resolution was introduced after news that a massive 500-megawatt data center project was under consideration, prompting community concerns about its environmental and utility impacts. Utility company Avista, which had been negotiating with the unnamed data center developer, announced it had paused those talks amid the public outcry.

The council's delay stems from questions about how to implement the moratorium without inadvertently hindering other beneficial projects, specifically the Spokane Aerospace Tech Hub, which may involve data center components. Councilman Michael Cathcart warned that a broad ban could impede the tech hub's progress. Despite the delay, a majority of council members expressed readiness to enact some form of ban, though they lacked the supermajority required for immediate action.

Councilman Paul Dillon emphasized the need for a moratorium to create a regulatory framework for data centers, particularly concerning water and energy consumption. While the proposed moratorium would only apply within city limits and might not impact potential projects like one at the former Kaiser Aluminum smelter in Mead, officials speculate that data centers outside the city might still seek Spokane's water supply. Dillon, along with Councilwomen Sarah Dixit and Kate Telis, expressed disappointment at the delay, citing strong community demand for rapid action on the issue.

The council seeks to balance environmental protection and utility stability with the promotion of local economic development initiatives.