Friday’s virtual meeting of Oregon’s Data Center Advisory Committee focused on the impacts of data centers on water resources.
The more Oregonians learn about data centers and their rapid growth, along with the ongoing impact of data centers on water, energy rates, communities, and our environment overall — the more Oregonians have become increasingly uncomfortable with them.
To that end, Governor Tina Kotek convened the state’s Data Center Advisory Committee in February to consider concerns over data centers, and “develop recommendations for a comprehensive regulatory framework.” The inaugural meeting was something of a pro-industry celebration, but the committee’s virtual meeting on March 27th was specificslly agendized to address water impacts.
You can still submit written remarks and related materials to the committee at datacenter.ac@oregon.gov. If you do, be sure to include your name, and note the March 27th meeting date and water impacts topic in the subject line.
If you’re interested in recent media attention on data centers, as well as the opportunities to attend town hall meetings hosted by Senator Ron Wyden, have a look at the links here:
- Oregon Communities Envision 9,100 Acres for New Data Centers, Quadrupling the Industry’s Footprint (The Oregonian, March 27, 2026)
- How a Small Oregon Company’s Dealings with Amazon Created a Scandal (The Oregonian, March 23, 2026)
- Trust Issues Rise to the Surface in The Dalles Water Dispute (Uplift Local, March 23, 2026)
- Senator Wyden is hosting a series of town hall meetings around the state, including two on Tuesday, March 31st, in The Dalles and Hood River.
Data center banner photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.