Gov. Tina Kotek announced Aug. 7 support for local moratoriums on data center development until her committee's findings and recommendations can be reviewed and the legislature can consider changes.
Several local governments have moved forward with enacting delays on developing data centers in their communities as public opposition grows.
Salem City Council on Aug. 3 moved forward with a temporary moratorium on data centers after hundreds of Salemites submitted written and oral testimony slamming a proposed development in southeast Salem. The city council reportedly received 142 pages of written testimony, largely against the data center and in favor of a moratorium.
Verrus CEO Nelson Abramson had already filed a land use application for a data center by the time Salem City Council voted on a moratorium, and city staff said in a report that applications submitted before a moratorium or zoning changes take effect would generally be reviewed under the existing rules and Oregon law. Abramson submitted the application days after Kotek directed the Department of Administrative Services to terminate the sale of 32 acres at the Mill Creek Corporate Center, where California-based Verrus is looking to develop the proposed data center.
In Woodburn, the city filed the 45-day notice with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development required before a city council can adopt a moratorium.
Woodburn did so after learning Verrus was doing its "due diligence" for a possible development in the city.
Hillsboro was the first city in the state to establish a data center application moratorium on July 27. It's a city that has welcomed at least 436 acres of data centers.
"Data center corporations are taking Oregon out to an expensive dinner and leaving our environment, communities, and people to foot the bill," Kotek said in a statement. "I ended the use of state land in a data center development here in Salem because we need to have more conversations about how to do this better. Local governments are doing the right thing in calling for a pause until we can get this right."
Kotek said the state lacks authority to enact a statewide moratorium.
Asked if Kotek supported changes to that authority, her office said she supports local moratoriums until recommendations from her Oregon Data Center Advisory Committee can be reviewed and "a new statutory framework" can be considered by the Oregon legislature in the 2027 session.
The committee last met Aug. 4 to reflect on its work since first convening in February. A preliminary findings report will be prepared ahead of a final public meeting scheduled for Sept. 23.
State Rep. Lesly Muñoz, D-Woodburn, testified remotely during the July Salem City Council meeting and committed to being one of the state lawmakers working on legislative concepts for a statewide moratorium on data centers.
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at [email protected] or on X @DianneLugo or Bluesky @diannelugo.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon governor backs local moratoriums on data center development