centraloregondaily.com · Anastasia Mason, Salem Statesman Journal · September 8, 2026
Kotek: Legislature should pass state data center moratorium | Oregon / Northwest | centraloregondaily.com
# Gov. Tina Kotek says legislature should pass statewide data center moratorium
- Anastasia Mason, Salem Statesman Journal - Sep 8, 2026 - 3 hrs ago
(This story has been updated to include additional information)
Gov. Tina Kotek said Sept. 8 she is in support of a moratorium on data centers and urged the passing of proposed legislation to do so in the 2027 legislative session.
Kotek revealed her position at a rally, shortly after issuing a directive that state agencies must immediately stop any unapproved requests of state land, property and more for data center projects that are not already under construction.
"This is what I can do right now under Oregon law, but we need to do more, and the legislature needs to step up next year," Kotek told protesters calling for a time-limited statewide moratorium.
Kotek had previously advocated for local moratoriums, but her speech gave the strongest favor so far for one statewide.
"Let's keep working hard together," Kotek said. "Let's get that legislation passed next year."
The directive is in effect until July 1, 2027 or until further action from the legislature or governor's office. Kotek previously said she would back a bill creating a statewide approach for data centers in the legislative session that begins in January.
"Data center corporations are asking communities to absorb enormous demands on our water, energy, infrastructure, and natural resources, and we need to know what that means for Oregonians," Kotek said in a statement. "I am taking this action because the state should not be moving forward with new data center projects on public land while we are still working to understand and address those impacts. Oregonians deserve a statewide approach that protects our communities, respects our natural resources, and makes sure state government is acting in the public interest."
Kotek put a stop to the sale of state land for a proposed data center in Salem on July 30.
Verrus, the company behind the Salem data center proposal, said they would continue to pursue the project using private land.
Salem will hold three town halls on data centers, beginning Sept. 15, as it continues to move through the process of issuing a temporary moratorium on future AI data centers.
Kotek's directive comes ahead of the announcement of the Oregon Data Center Advisory Committee's "Preliminary Learnings and Questions" that are expected to be released this week.
The directive, signed by Kotek's chief of staff, Emerald Bogue, tells state agencies to stop work on "any pending discussions or requests that include data center-related easements or potential sale or transfer of state property" and report back by Sept. 14.
It was not immediately clear how many current requests for data center development on state land would be impacted by the new directive.
Kotek and her gubernatorial opponent, Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, have both sought to paint the other as friendly to data centers.
Drazan's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Statesman Journal reporters Whitney Woodworth and Dianne Lugo contributed to this report.
Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@statesmanjournal.com or 971-208-5615.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Gov. Tina Kotek says legislature should pass statewide data center moratorium
Reporting by Anastasia Mason, Salem Statesman Journal / Salem Statesman Journal
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