SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council passed an immediate one-year citywide pause on the acceptance, processing, review, and approval of building permit applications for new data centers.
“I am proud of this Council and Administration for taking necessary steps to create safeguards to protect Spokane due to rising concerns around data centers,” said Council Member Paul Dillon. “We have heard loud and clear that communities across Spokane want this pause while we create a regulatory framework.”
The City Council also adopted an amendment that provided greater clarity on how this applies to facilities that include both data centers and other business activities. The amendment also directed the City’s Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board to develop a framework to evaluate the potential impacts of data centers.
“Our community has raised serious concerns about the long-term impacts of data centers, and those concerns deserve answers,” said Council Member Kate Telis. “I support this moratorium because we cannot afford to make irreversible decisions without fully understanding the potential consequences for our water supply, electrical grid, environment, and ratepayers. Lastly, I encourage residents to continue advocating to all the leaders who control the land above our aquifer. The fight doesn’t end with the City; it’s across the region.”
A public hearing has been set for July 22, which will allow community members to share their views and discuss this issue.
The city says this ordinance will provide time for evaluations and adjustments as needed.
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