EVERETT – The magnitude of computer data centers prompted the Snohomish County Council to unanimously approve an emergency moratorium on such facilities so the county can take more time to consider the zoning and regulatory provisions for such complex facilities.
Councilmember Strom Peterson opened his public remarks before the vote saying, “There aren’t any data centers currently planned, so this gives us an opportunity to create a framework that includes concerns from labor, concerns from (the) environmental community.”
The emergency moratorium was sponsored by Arlington Councilmember, Nate Nehring, who advised just before the final vote, “I think it’s really important that we have an opportunity to press pause on this. There’s a lot of developments happening and this, I think, will give us time to thoughtfully craft a policy together as a council for what we want to see in terms of permanent regulations.”
Peterson endorsed the ordinance, “Speaking in favor of this, (I) really appreciate Councilmember Nehring for bringing this forward. We’ll support this and look forward to getting a lot of people at the table to figure out the right way to do this because this is part of the future, and if we do it well, then it can be a benefit to, I think to all of our communities, including labor and the environment and people that just need these services.”
Nehring shared after the vote, “Data centers have become a significant topic of public interest and concern. While these facilities play a role in supporting many digital services, their impacts on land use, infrastructure, energy and water demand, and neighboring communities weigh heavily on the minds of many Snohomish County residents.”
The lightning rod of data centers
According to Gallup polling, seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half, 48%, who are strongly opposed. Barely a quarter favor these projects, with 7% strongly in favor. The polling results were posted five weeks ago on May 13, 2026.
Data centers require immense amounts of electricity, especially as power-dense artificial intelligence (AI) computer chips become standard. The centers cover large areas of land, require extensive amounts of electricity to operate and need substantial water to cool the equipment, raising concerns about their impact on the environment and local electric bills.
Locals frequently express concerns, according to Gallup, that these facilities drain regional grids, forcing municipalities to rely on fossil-fuel backups and causing ripple effects that raise utility rates for everyday households.
Reliance on computer power
At the Snohomish County Council meeting this morning, an Everett labor union leader offered a more pragmatic reaction to the future fate of data centers in Snohomish County’s jurisdiction. “We are in support of the County Council having a conversation and a broader understanding of these data centers,” Secretary-Treasurer of LiUNA Local 292, Charles Burgess testified.
Burgess continued, “I’m here on behalf of our 1200 members for Laborers Local 292. Not necessarily in favor of the moratorium, but more in favor of just stepping back, having a conversation, listening to what the public is looking for and what the public wants and needs. We believe that if these are built, which we believe that they should be built, as we all rely on what they produce. We all use the Internet for our jobs, the way that we get media, the way that we get information. They all come through these data centers across the American West. So, with that said, when they are built, if they are built, they need to be built safe.”
“They need to have,” Burgess suggested, “labor standards supporting local residents who work here, who live here, who raise their families here. They need to be built with the safest, newest technology so the concerns that we’ve heard this morning (in testimony), that they are met. LiUNA is on the forefront of green energy. We build solar. We build wind. We build these data centers. We’re in every state west of the Mississippi building these regularly. We have thousands and thousands of members who are trained and skilled to build these with the highest and safest standards.”
“So with that said,” Burgess closed, “I appreciate your time, your effort, you looking into this. And we look forward to any type of conversation in the future.”
What’s next?
Over the next six months, the County will work with residents, stakeholders, County staff, and the Planning Commission to develop more comprehensive regulations. This process, according to Nehring, will help determine the most appropriate regulatory framework for data centers in unincorporated Snohomish County.
Nehring tells EverettPost.com public input will drive the process. “The decisions we make today will shape the future of our communities for decades to come. Your voice will help us better understand the local impacts and concerns associated with data center development. Whether you are concerned about resource demands such as energy and water consumption or the potential noise impacts that have been reported in other parts of the country, your feedback is essential.”
After public input, a draft proposal by the County Council will then be sent to the Planning Commission for further evaluation. Nehring says he’s created a public survey that will help guide the discussion and development of a draft for data center regulations with the intention of developing the priorities and concerns from neighbors. If you would like to receive a link to the survey, you can e-mail his County Council address, [email protected].
How the moratorium started
Nehring tells EverettPost.com: I have received a significant amount of constituent outreach expressing concerns over the siting of data centers. These concerns primarily focus on environmental impacts and the use of natural resources. I share these concerns.
Asked if he supports or opposes data centers in the future, Nehring replied: I am continuing to research and learn more about data centers, though I do share the environmental and natural resource concerns which have been expressed by many constituents. At this point, I don’t have a firm position on what the most appropriate regulatory framework might be. I plan to put forward a proposal on permanent regulations before the moratorium expires, and my hope is for that proposal to be informed by public input, thorough research, and best practices from other jurisdictions also facing this issue. The temporary moratorium is intentionally broad and applicable to all types of data centers, while the permanent policy which is developed may be more focused.