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Residents urge Spokane County planning commission to recommend moratorium on large data centers
Summary
Dozens of Spokane County residents pressed the planning commission to recommend a pause on large "hyperscaler" data centers, citing water, air, noise, public-health and transparency concerns and asking for independent studies and public hearings.
Dozens of residents urged the Spokane County Planning Commission on July 30 to recommend a moratorium on large data centers, saying the projects would drain scarce water, strain the electric grid and harm public health. Speakers said they want the county to require independent studies and more transparent public notice before any major projects proceed.
"These data centers pollute everything," said Shauna Robinson, who identified herself as a West Plains resident and said she has "vaccine injured kids" and rising local cancer rates. Multiple speakers asked the commission to recommend a pause so the Board of County Commissioners can evaluate land-use, water, noise and air impacts.
Speakers cited specific concerns about water and energy demand. "The initial proposed project to Avista would use nearly 0.333 of the energy Avista produced last year," said Reverend Adam Toby, asking county leadership to "slow down" and commission careful studies. Rebecca Morhan, who said her household relies on a private well, warned that "a large data center consumes up to 5,000,000 gallons of water every single day," citing United Nations and World Resources Institute data.
Several residents demanded stronger local rules rather than leaving regulation solely to state and federal standards. "We are Spokane. We are separate. We are different," Jennifer Adkins said, asking the commission to seek a "more stringent environmental review than the state or the federal government requires." Britteny Anderson urged a moratorium longer than nine months, recommending at least one year and independent studies on noise, water, diesel emissions, pollinators and emergency services.
The plea for a moratorium came amid repeated calls for greater transparency; multiple speakers said they discovered project-related correspondence only through public-records requests. Alexandra Biggs of the White Glove Creek Coalition urged a "dedicated data-center code zone" and limits on the size and number of facilities.
The commission did not vote to recommend a moratorium at the meeting. Commissioners and staff said the comprehensive-plan and development-code updates underway will include work on definitions and zoning for data centers and that the commission will hold further hearings later in the fall.
