Snohomish County Implements Six-Month Moratorium on Data Centers
Snohomish County has enacted a six-month moratorium on data center developments to assess long-term policy implications. This decision addresses public concerns regarding land use, energy consumption, and environmental impacts associated with data centers.
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The Snohomish County Council has approved a moratorium on data center developments, effective June 24 for six months, expiring December 25 unless renewed. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive framework to manage the land, energy, and water demands of data centers, which are currently not planned in the area.
Data centers can consume significant energy, with larger facilities using between 20-150 MW, translating to an annual energy consumption of 87-88 GWh for a 10 MW center, equivalent to 7,800-8,000 homes. As data center energy use in the U.S. is projected to grow from 4.4-4.7% of total electricity in 2024-2025 to 9-15% by 2030, the county seeks to evaluate the environmental impacts before allowing new developments. Emerging biocomputing technologies could provide alternatives that significantly reduce energy use and environmental strain.
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