WE WILL DEMAND TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY & CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF DATA CENTER GROWTH IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, OREGON
At the August 25, 2026 Washington County Commission meeting, Commissioner Nafisa Fai will propose a county wide moratorium on data center construction. Dam Data Centers submitted the following testimony in support of her motion.
August 24, 2026
Dear Washington County Commissioners,
We just became aware that in your 8/25 meeting, Commissioner Fai will move to consider adopting a moratorium on any further data center construction in our county. Our Indivisible community wholeheartedly supports her motion and we hope you will too. Her raising this urgent concern is not surprising at all. Commissioner Fai routinely leads the way in championing the positions reflected by the people she serves. She is aware that Hillsboro, Salem and LaPine have already passed moratoria, and Clackamas County has an effort underway.
A countywide moratorium is a first but necessary step.
Before allowing any further data center development, the Commission should use the moratorium “pause” to carefully assess deficiencies in our current regulatory framework. Commissioners should analyze the existing laws against the four pillar principles below to guarantee that this dangerous industry will meet appropriate safeguards, conditions and cost-sharing that we expect in our state and county. We join with millions nationwide who are rightly alarmed by the rapid expansion of these resource hungry data centers without regard to these basic principles outlined below, and we ask you to now use your power to hold them up.
Indivisible Washington County also supports the newly proposed statewide moratorium on all data center development. Please visit Oregon Data Center Defiance for more information about the Responsible Data Center Development bill to be introduced in the 2027 session. When passed, this Act will implement a 3-year new construction moratorium, propose a statutory framework, establish a task force and declare an emergency. We hope you will also approach this issue with the same sense of urgency we see in other local governments. The recent out of control growth of these centers to feed the AI explosion makes clear that there is no time to lose.
We commend Commissioner Fai for her visionary and bold leadership and for consistently acting on behalf of the PEOPLE, not the special interests, of her District and County. Please support her motion to bring a data center moratorium to your agenda for discussion and passage as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Ginny Ross, Organizer, INDIVISIBLE WASHINGTON COUNTY
PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIBLE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPARENCY: The entire review and approval process must be fully transparent.· PUBLIC NOTICE TO ALL AFFECTED PARTIES & LOCAL COMMUNITIES
· TYPE III PLANNING REVIEW REQUIRED
· DATA & PROCESS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC AT NO COST
· NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS ARE BANNED
· PENALTIES APPLY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
COST ACCOUNTABILITY: Owners and developers bear all costs, direct and indirect.
● NO TAX ABATEMENTS
● OWNERS PAY COST OF REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE
● REASONABLE INDUSTRY WIDE TAX RATES APPLY FOR WATER & POWER USAGE
● REQUIRE SURETY BONDING TO PROTECT AGAINST UNSEEN FUTURE COSTS
● ABANDONMENT OF FACILITIES FOR ANY REASON INCLUDING BANKRUPTCY IS PROHIBITED
SAFETY: Owners must prevent health risks and hazards to local communities.
● PROHIBITED WITHIN TWO MILES OF SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, SENIOR FACILITIES AND ANY COMMUNITY UNABLE TO EVACUATE
● HAZARDOUS LIGHTING & NOISE PROHIBITED
● WASTEWATER MUST BE TREATED ONSITE AND MEET NITRATE LIMITATION BEFORE RELEASE
PUBLIC FOCUS: Prioritize public, residential and farm use in resource allocation.
· WATER RIGHTS ALLOCATIONS MAY NOT CONTRAVENE RESIDENTIAL & FARMING NEES
· CENTERS TO COMPLY WITH OREGON’S POWER ACT HB 3546
· REQUIRE USED OF RENEWABLES IN CONSTRUCTION & MEETING LOAD REDUCTION REQUIREMENTS
· RESTRICT POWER & WATER USE FOR CENTERS DURING EXTREME WEATHER & PENALTIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE
Lobby & Rally for a statewide
data center moratorium in Salem on 9/8!
Mark your calendars and join with fellow Oregonians in protesting the reckless expansion of data centers throughout the state and to lobby our representatives to sponsor a 3 year statewide moratorium. We will be rallying on the capitol steps and meeting with legislators to share our concerns in person and make sure our voice as citizens will be heard on this important matter.
HERE IS THE MOBILIZE EVENT LINK
HERE IS THE SIGN UP WITH OREGON DATA CENTER DEFIANCE
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS AND THE LOBBY DAY HANDBOOK
Stay connected with this mobilize link for more updates and info, and please share it to your networks. People are organizing carpools from around Hillsboro and Beaverton. Connect with your fellow Dam Data Centrists via the mobilize chat when it goes live (48 hrs before the event) or join our Signal group here and connect with other rally goers now.
https://tinyurl.com/DamDataCenters
Finally, plan to wear red! We want to look like a giant stop sign if there is any overhead footage. Plus it will stand out in the conference rooms. Be sure to bring your phones fully charged and help us document all this. I think it will be going national!
More links:
Dam Data Centers (Washington County)
Oregon Data Center Defiance (Statewide Coalition)
SEE YOU THERE!
Indivisible Washington County's Question for Governor Kotek concerning her concession of state authority to impose a statewide data center moratorium
August 11, 2026
A statewide coalition, Oregon Data Center Defiance, has proposed a model bill imposing a 3 year moratorium on data center expansion as well as a framework of standards and conditions to be met before development may continue. Four Democratic Reps. and two candidates along with many environmental and public benefit organizations are joining in broad support of this much needed statewide "pause".
We commend the support for local moratoria you expressed in your 8/7 press release, but we are deeply concerned by your surprising claim that "the state lacks authority to enact a statewide moratorium." While Oregon’s Moratorium Statute (ORS 197.505 to .540) grants cities, councils and special districts the right to use this tool, it does not somehow limit the broad legislative authority of the legislature under the constitution to enact a statewide moratorium.
Could you please let us know why and on what basis you asserted that our lawmakers lack authority to impose a moratorium statewide?
Dear Governor Kotek,
Was it just a mistake by her?
.... or was it an unacceptable 'concession-in-advance' of power rightfully held by OUR representatives?
Hopefully we will hear an answer at Indivisible's "COINversations"-- a zoom townhall with the Governor on August 18!
If you want to join the zoom, please register here.
For Gov. Kotek's unusual power concession press release, please click here.
For the response by Oregon Data Center Defiance to the Governor's 'lack of authority' position, please click here.
INDIVISIBLE WASHINGTON COUNTY
Indivisible Washington County Submission to Governor's Data Center Advisory Committee
July 31, 2026
JOIN OUR SIGNAL GROUP to take action against data center expansion in Washington County
indivisiblewashco@gmail.com
