Seattle Weighs Data Center Moratorium
Seattle considers a one-year moratorium on new data centers due to concerns over water, electricity, and noise, with Amazon employees supporting the move.
Key points
- The Seattle City Council is set to vote on a one-year moratorium on new data centers.
- Amazon Employees for Climate Justice and residents have testified in support of the policy, citing concerns over water consumption, local electricity prices, and noise.
- The vote is scheduled for June 9th.
- If passed, the moratorium would table any new large-scale data center proposals in Seattle for one year.
- The move aims to allow the city to consider legislation to address concerns over water, electricity, and noise.
- Amazon employees, including engineers and software developers, have spoken overwhelmingly in favor of the moratorium.
The Seattle City Council is set to vote on a one-year moratorium on new data centers, following proposals for five large-scale centers in the city. Amazon employees have joined residents in testifying in support of the policy, citing concerns over water consumption, local electricity prices, and noise. The issue has sparked protests across the country, with Seattle and surrounding King County at the forefront. If passed, the moratorium would allow the city to consider legislation to address these concerns. The move is supported by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a group of current and former employees dedicated to the climate crisis. At city council hearings, residents, including engineers and software developers, have spoken overwhelmingly in favor of the moratorium. The vote is scheduled for June 9th, and if passed, would table any new large-scale data center proposals in Seattle for one year.
Sources
The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.