Spokane city council members introduce ordinance to halt data center construction plans
Spokane City Council members have introduced an ordinance to halt construction plans for a new data center in Eastern Washington, citing concerns over its significant electricity and water consumption. Residents and environmental groups worry about the potential strain on the Spokane River and energy infrastructure. A community petition against the project has already gathered over 5,000 signatures.
Three Spokane City Council members, Paul Dillon, Sarah Dixit, and Kate Telis, have introduced an ordinance aimed at halting the construction of a new data center in Eastern Washington. The council members emphasized that communities have clearly voiced their concerns about the proposed project, with Dixit noting the "disastrous consequences" of energy-intensive data centers proliferating across the country.
The primary concerns revolve around the data center's massive resource demands. Residents are worried about the impact on the Spokane River's health due to the significant water usage the facility would require, potentially straining the local water supply. Avista, the utility provider, has stated that while it cannot disclose the project's location, customer, or timeline, the data center would consume as much electricity as half of its service area in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Katelyn Scott from Spokane Riverkeeper echoed these concerns, stressing the need to understand the cumulative environmental and infrastructural impacts.
Community opposition is strong, with an online petition against the data center accumulating over 5,000 signatures. Council member Paul Dillon plans to formally introduce the emergency ordinance on Monday, which, if passed with five council votes, would impose a one-year ban on new data centers within Spokane. While such a ban would prevent construction within the city limits, it would not preclude the data center from being built elsewhere in Eastern Washington.