Oregon county starts data center moratorium process, but 45-day gap leaves an opening

Clackamas County, Oregon, has started moving toward a moratorium on new data center projects, aligning itself with other communities in Oregon.

Any pause would come later because the county's process requires 45 days of notice, leaving a brief period in which a developer could still file an application first, OregonLive reported.

Here's what to know

According to OregonLive, the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to start the formal process for a moratorium on data center applications.

County officials told OregonLive that no developer has yet applied for a permit to build a data center in Clackamas County.

The county cannot impose the pause right away. Dan Johnson, who heads the county's transportation and development department, said officials must give the state 45 days' notice before a public hearing on the proposed moratorium can be held.

That means the county would still be required to accept any applications submitted during the waiting period. According to OregonLive, county spokesperson Scott Anderson said, "A rush of applications taking place doesn't seem likely."

At the public meeting, KGW reported that Commissioner Diana Helm said, "Right now, a data center could come into the county, right? We're just trying to put a pause on anything happening until we have done our research."

More background

Clackamas County's vote comes amid a change happening across Oregon, where local governments are becoming more wary of data center development, per OPB.

In several places, residents have voiced worries that large server facilities could put pressure on natural resources and increase utility costs.

Hillsboro, Oregon, also approved its own pause at a last-minute July 27 meeting, OregonLive reported.

What's being done?

The county's procedural step will begin the formal moratorium process so officials can study the issue before allowing data center facilities to proceed.

In the meantime, people will very likely keep sharing their opinions and taking action in their communities.

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