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Tri‑City Development Council outlines Hanford advocacy, land transfers and data‑center limits
Summary
Carl Dye, president and CEO of Tri‑City Development Council (Tridec), told the Richland City Council that federal advocacy around Hanford funding remains central to the regional economy, that past federal land transfers (the "purple dinosaur" parcel) inform future plans, and that utility limits under the Northwest Power Act constrain large AI data‑center load without external power arrangements.
Carl Dye, president and CEO of the Tri‑City Development Council, told the Richland City Council on June 2 that federal advocacy around Hanford cleanup and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory funding remains the organization’s core work while the region diversifies its economy.
Dye delivered Tridec’s annual update, tracing the organization’s origins in 1963 and saying the federal workforce that once accounted for roughly 80% of local employment now represents about 12% of jobs but generates more than 20% of payroll dollars. “Federal jobs and those contractor jobs pay more than the average wages that we have,” Dye said, arguing that replacing those high‑paying roles when Hanford work ends will require new industries.
The presentation highlighted projects in agriculture and advanced manufacturing — including Lamb Weston and a state‑supported project called Atlas Agro (referred to during the presentation as Project Green Fertilizer) — and described Tridec’s role in matching state strategic reserve fund grants and local incentive funds to recruit and retain employers.
Dye also described land transfers resulting from past federal legislation and an area the group calls the “purple dinosaur,” a roughly mapped parcel transferred under legislation—work he said Tridec and the cities continue to leverage for future industrial opportunities. He said the group has worked with tribal partners and the congressional delegation to pursue clearer transfer language to speed future conveyances and to seek transfers without repeated NEPA requirements where appropriate.
On data centers, Dye told council members that the city’s power service is limited under the Northwest Power Act and cannot serve new load growth above 10 megawatts, meaning large AI data centers would need to bring or procure their own power. He described cooling options and closed‑loop systems that industry experts say can reduce reliance on continuous river cooling, and said Tridec seeks developments that align with local resource and rate concerns.
The update closed with a request for continued partnership with city staff on regional federal advocacy, land‑use transfers and business recruitment.
The council did not take formal action on the presentation itself. The comments are part of ongoing regional planning and federal outreach efforts by Tridec.
