The Data Center Campaign

What’s new?

New from MCAT: A two-page digest of data center issues in Oregon, and current initiatives to control the effects data centers have on Oregon commuities.

Data Center Action Lobby Day in Salem

Date: Tuesday, September 8
Location: State Capitol, Salem

Let your elected representatives know how you feel at the Data Center Action Lobby Day in Salem. Join members of Third Act Oregon, MCAT and 40+ other organizations letting their representatives in Salem know they want action on corporate accountability for data center use of energy and water, and for the air, water, soil and noise pollution they are causing.

Interested in making your voice heard? Sign up here.

From Columbia Riverkeeper

Their August newsletter is out, crammed with news and actions around data centers.

Why are we resisting Data Centers?

Even more communities across the nation, and even across the world, are raising concerns about the rapid expansion of hyper-scale data centers and their impact on energy use, water, land, and the climate. Check out this article from Waging Nonviolence: “The data center fight is going global.”

There is abundant evidence that existing data centers are emitting far too much carbon into the atmosphere, polluting water sources, and creating heat sinks and constant noise in their hosting communities.

People of all political persuasions are finding commonality in this fight.

Third Actors are taking action—advocating for moratoriums, working to eliminating tax incentives, supporting ballot measures, calling for stronger regulations, and hosting educational webinars and strategic sessions.

Make your voice heard

Energy-hungry data centers and the use of unregulated AI are spiking electricity costs, guzzling water unsustainably, driving more fossil fuel pollution, and worsening the climate crisis.

We need to hit the brakes on the explosive growth of massive data center projects, and Senator Sanders and Representative Ocasio-Cortez just announced a bill to do just that — the AI Data Center Moratorium Act.

Tell your US Congressional representatives to support the AI Data Center Moratorium Act.

Earlier this year, Governor Tina Kotek established a Data Center Advisory Committee (DCAC) to provide recommendations to state officials.

The committee has been meeting since March of this year, with the public being able to observe and participate. Find recordings of the meetings at the link above.

The next meeting is:

Public Listening Session 3, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm PT. JOIN WEBINAR HERE (NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED)

Everything you always wanted to know about data centers.

Food and Water Watch has put together a comprehensive document called “The Urgent Case Against Data Centers“. It’s about data centers: what they are, what they do, and why we should all be concerned.

In a new, online news service called News from the States, journalists across the country report the latest news about data center plans and regulations from every state, every day. There’s no paywall; all material is open-source.

Here’s a video from Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action, called “Are Data Centers Really That Bad?” that explains in three minutes just how bad they are.

For an interesting case study on data centers, watch “Down the Line: The Impact of Hyperscale AI Data Centers in Maryland.” The documentary explores the environmental, health, and property risks associated with AI data center development. Landowners, council members, and activists come together to share their story and advocate against data centers and the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.

Read Columbia Riverkeeper’s newsletter

Columbia Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River and all life connected to it, from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean. This excellent organization is spearheading the data center fight along the Columbia, in both Oregon and Washington.

Columbia Riverkeeper’s semi-annual newsletter is out. You can read it here.

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Catch up on these excellent data center webinars

Did you miss the three webinars organized by MCAT and partners in April, May, and June? Here are the webinar slides:

April: “Water, Wetlands, & the Path Forward”
May: “Land Use and Economic Impact.”
June: “Electricity Demand, Climate Impacts, and Air & Noise Pollution.”