Kotek Stops Western Oregon Data Center Proposal

A planned data center in southeast Salem is halted, after Governor Tina Kotek pulled state land off the table.  It follows a contentious Salem City Council meeting last week, where some complained about the city signing a non-disclosure agreement with the developer.

"Salem has known about this for months and then they give us this brief moment for public comment," noted one citizen who attended last week's meeting.  "This seems to be corrupt.”

Opponents say data centers pollute the air and use a large amount of water and electric resources.  However, local developer Aaron Stickney supports the project.

"There are a lot of things that are misconstrued about the data centers," Stickney said.  "I've built over five across the country.  There are ways that you can do it correctly."

"This decision is about my responsibility to make sure state actions reflect Oregon's values and serve the public interest," Governor Kotek said.  "I believe in growing Oregon's economy and welcoming new investment, including in the technology sector.  But growth has to make sense for the community, for our infrastructure, and for our natural resources.  Oregonians have made it clear they expect thoughtful, responsible decisions about projects of this scale, and I agree."

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