Washington
Legislation AdvancingWashington enacted SB 5982 requiring large data center customers to meet the same clean energy deadlines as utilities and directing the UTC to establish reporting requirements. HB 2515 — a broader data center regulation bill — passed the House 51-41 but died in the Senate after Microsoft and other tech companies opposed it. Local activity has accelerated dramatically: Seattle Councilmembers Juarez, Lin, and Council President Hollingsworth introduced a 365-day emergency moratorium on new large (10 MW+) data centers; the Council passed the emergency ~1-year moratorium 9-0 on June 9, 2026, and Spokane followed with its own one-year citywide moratorium (6-1) on June 23. Two developers had withdrawn Seattle expansion plans amid the backlash, and Mayor Wilson announced parallel administrative steps on May 1. In late July 2026 Spokane County proposed extending the pause to unincorporated areas with a nine-month building permit moratorium expiring after the 2027 legislative session. Spokane County commissioners unanimously approved a four-month moratorium on new data center permits on August 19, 2026 — trimmed from an earlier nine-month proposal — to let staff draft zoning regulations, with the option to extend depending on the outcome of commission elections. Yakima County commissioners unanimously directed staff on August 4 to draft a six-month moratorium after residents raised water scarcity concerns, despite no applications pending. Port Angeles' council voted 5-1 in early September 2026 to direct staff to draft a six-month moratorium on new data center applications. Lincoln County held the required public hearing on October 5, 2026 for its six-month emergency moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage.
Legislation
Local Actions
City Council passed an emergency ~1-year moratorium (9-0) on June 9, 2026 on new large data centers (over 20 MVA), extendable by six months, paired with a policy-study resolution.
City Council passed an emergency one-year citywide data center moratorium (6-1, Ordinance C36887) on June 23, 2026.
County proposed a nine-month building permit moratorium on data centers in unincorporated areas, expiring after the 2027 legislative session, after the utility paused permit processing. Triggers a staff review of infrastructure, water, energy and zoning and would add data center definitions to county code.
Town Council enacted a temporary moratorium on accepting data center permit applications lasting at least six months, despite having received no applications or inquiries. Staff will draft an ordinance addressing data centers using Skagit County's definition; the county adopted a similar moratorium for unincorporated areas on June 1, 2026. A public hearing is set for August 25, 2026.
Commissioners unanimously approved a four-month moratorium on new data center permits (reduced from a nine-month proposal) to allow staff to develop zoning regulations. Extension possible.
Commissioners unanimously directed staff to draft a six-month data center moratorium following resident concerns about water scarcity, despite no existing applications.
City Council voted 5-1 in early September 2026 to direct staff to draft a six-month moratorium on new data center applications while examining impacts on electric rates, water use, industrial land, noise and the environment, with input from the Planning Commission and Utility Advisory Committee.
The county held the required public hearing on October 5, 2026 for its previously enacted six-month emergency moratorium pausing permits for data centers and battery energy storage systems.