Seattle City Council members plan to introduce an emergency moratorium on new data centers, citing concerns about rising utility costs, environmental impacts and strain on city infrastructure.
The proposed legislation, announced Thursday by Councilmembers Debora Juarez and Eddie Lin and Council President Joy Hollingsworth, would impose a 365-day ban on the siting of new data centers while the city conducts a series of impact studies.
The moratorium would take effect immediately if approved by the City Council and could be extended for an additional six months.
City leaders say the pause is necessary as demand for large-scale data centers grows, driven in part by the expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud computing industries. Officials are seeking more information on how such facilities could affect Seattle’s electrical grid, water usage, utility rates, land use, public health and local economy.
“Mega data centers are popping up across the country, driving up utility costs for residents and small businesses and increasing air, water and noise pollution when not properly regulated,” said Councilmember Eddie Lin, the prime sponsor of the moratorium legislation.
Lin said thousands of Seattle residents have already voiced concerns following reports that several companies are exploring plans to build large-scale data centers in the region.
“We should not be subsidizing the massive and record profits of tech corporations pursuing large AI data centers in our city,” Lin said. “South Seattle already suffers disproportionately from higher levels of pollution as well as heat islands.”
The proposal comes after four companies reportedly approached Seattle City Light about developing five large data centers in the area. Those projects could require up to 369 megawatts of electricity — enough to power approximately 300,000 homes — raising concerns about energy demand and long-term infrastructure capacity.
Seattle currently has about 30 smaller data centers, but the proposed projects would be the first large-scale facilities of their kind in the city.
Council President Joy Hollingsworth said the city must better understand both the potential benefits and drawbacks before moving forward.
“Data centers can bring both negatives and positives to a city,” Hollingsworth said. “We need to learn more about the second-hand effects of these facilities, including utility rates.”
The accompanying resolution calls for detailed studies on a wide range of impacts, including grid reliability, environmental sustainability, water use, economic development and community well-being.
Councilmember Debora Juarez, who is sponsoring the resolution, emphasized the broader environmental and ethical considerations tied to the issue.
“Water, land, and air are life-giving resources not to be moved around on a balance sheet,” Juarez said. “These proposed centers raise serious ethical questions if they proceed without safeguards or policies to protect our resources.”
The proposal also reflects growing national scrutiny of data centers, which require significant amounts of electricity to operate and cool large server systems. According to the International Energy Agency, data centers accounted for an estimated 415 terawatt hours of electricity consumption in 2024, about 1.5% of global usage, with demand rising sharply in recent years.
Beyond environmental concerns, city leaders and advocates say the issue also raises equity questions, particularly for communities already facing disproportionate environmental burdens.
South Seattle neighborhoods, which have historically experienced higher levels of pollution and heat exposure, could face additional impacts if large-scale data centers are developed without strong safeguards.
Supporters of the moratorium argue that a pause will allow the city to evaluate whether such projects can be implemented in ways that benefit communities without exacerbating existing disparities.
If approved, the City Council would be required to hold a public hearing within 60 days, giving residents an opportunity to weigh in on the proposal.
A final version of the resolution is expected to be released next week, with formal introduction of both the moratorium and resolution anticipated by mid-May.
