FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2026
ORDCD response to Gov. Kotek’s moratorium press release
Oregon Data Center Defiance is glad to see the governor’s attention to data center proliferation in Oregon, but urges more meaningful action following the example of communities across the state.
In La Pine, Hillsboro, and Salem, residents have turned out in force. After public pressure, La Pine was able to stop a data center development proposal unanimously. Salem and Hillsboro city councils voted unanimously in favor of a moratorium. However, one data center project in Salem, and two in Hillsboro, submitted final hour applications before the votes occurred and will still move forward. Local moratoriums are important, but they are limited to a maximum of 120 days, and cannot pause development on applications that have already been submitted.
These cities are enacting the will of Oregonians generally, over 70% of whom oppose further construction of data centers in our state – but the need for state action on this is looming. Eugene is threatened by the same specter, and Morrow county is looking down the barrel of thousands more acres of these extractive monoliths. As Timberline Lodge is evacuating due to an early and severe wildfire season, Google asks for more of Mt. Hood’s water.
In the governor’s press release she says, “the state lacks authority to enact a statewide moratorium.” Although the governor cannot enact a statewide moratorium unilaterally, the Oregon state legislature can, and Governor Kotek can support the legislators that are currently working on legislation to that effect in 2027.
Meanwhile, citizen efforts to pass moratoriums in localities statewide will continue as data center developers try to pave over farmland and steamroll the will of voters. The governor’s affirmation that “local governments are doing the right thing in calling for a pause until we can get this right” only reaffirms the need for the state to do the same. We call on her to lend material and verbal support to communities, local governments, and state legislators seeking to enact moratoria.
While the governor’s Data Center Advisory Committee finalizes its recommendations, which we hope to be extensive, the Committee chairs themselves have repeatedly expressed the need for more information, emphasizing the necessity for a statewide pause.
Voters' defiance of this extractive industry will persist through the November general election into the 2027 legislative session, and we hope the governor will engage with these efforts prior to that.
ORDCD is a coalition of individuals and organizations located throughout Oregon who are working to reign in the unchecked development of data centers in our state. We welcome all Oregonians to join in the fight for policy centered around the needs and wants of people, and not big tech.