Washington data center moratoriums
As of 31 Oct 2026, we count at least 15 local data center pauses in force in Washington, no bans and 6 proposals, across its counties and cities. At state level: checked, nothing found.
- 15 pauses in force · 0 bans · 6 proposed
- 2 pauses end within 60 days
- Checked: 39 counties, 160 cities · 21 on tracker
Cite this page
Source: Grounded Compute, Washington moratorium tracker, 31 Oct 2026. https://groundedcompute.com/us/washington/moratoriums
Every row below has its source and the date we checked it. For reporters: contact and corrections
State level · Checked, nothing found
We asked about state laws, orders and bills: checked, nothing found (31 Oct 2026).
Expiring by 30 Dec 2026
- 1 Dec 2026Skagit CountyPauseskagitcountywa.govGovernment confirmed
- 1 Dec 2026Chewelah (city)Pausestatesmanexaminer.comNews reported
Moratorium map · counties
- Ban: 0 counties
- Pause (active or extended): 7 counties
- Pause proposed: 4 counties
- End date passed, no update found: 0 counties
- Ended, expired or none found: 20 counties
- No government or news source found: 8 counties
- City: ban
- City: pause
- City: pause proposed
- 39 counties checked · 31 Oct 2026
- Cities on the tracker drawn as dots (10)
- Schematic; outlines: US Census
Tracker · 21 bans, pauses and proposals
- Rows grouped under their count; each count matches the figures at the top
- 8 government confirmed · 13 news reported
- Ended pauses and no-pause checks: on the map only. We checked counties and cities; nothing found is not proof that none exists
- Method
| Jurisdiction | Status | Covers | End | Permanent rules | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pauses in force (15) | |||||
| Benton County | Pause | – | – | – | washingtonstatestandard.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Chewelah (city, Stevens) | Pause | All data centers | 1 Dec 2026 | – | statesmanexaminer.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Cle Elum (city, Kittitas) | Pause | All data centers | – | – | 1027kord.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Ellensburg (city, Kittitas) | Pause | All data centers | 5 Apr 2027 | – | nbcrightnow.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| La Conner (city, Skagit) | Pause | All data centers | – | – | laconnercommunitynews.org News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Marysville (city, Snohomish) | Pause | Other: Facilities whose principal use is managing or transmitting digital data; incidental server uses are excluded. | – | – | portgardnergazette.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Pasco (city, Franklin) | Pause | All data centers | – | – | docs.pasco-wa.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Pierce County | Pause | Above a size threshold: More than 10 megawatts; applies to new or expanded data centers in unincorporated Pierce County | 27 Aug 2027 | – | piercecountywa.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Port Angeles (city, Clallam) | Pause | All data centers | 28 Feb 2027 | Rules drafted | peninsuladailynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Seattle (city, King) | Pause | Above a size threshold: Data centers defined by the ordinance as facilities with capacity in excess of 20 MVA; the ordinance provides an exception for certain existing facilities to expand by up to an additional 20 MVA. | – | – | clerk.seattle.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Skagit County | Pause | Above a size threshold: Data centers larger than 2,000 square feet or with a total anticipated electrical load of 2 megawatts or greater; applies to unincorporated county areas. | 1 Dec 2026 | Rules drafted | skagitcountywa.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Skamania County | Pause | All data centers | – | – | columbiagorgenews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Yakima County | Pause | Other: Applies to unincorporated Yakima County; land-use and building permits for data centers will not be accepted. | 12 Feb 2027 | – | yakimaherald.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Kittitas County | Pause, extended | All data centers | – | – | records.co.kittitas.wa.us Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Spokane County | Pause, extended | All data centers | 1 Jun 2027 | Rules drafted | khq.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Proposed (6) | |||||
| Adams County | Pause proposed | – | – | Rules drafted | othellowa.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| DuPont (city, Pierce) | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | – | thenewstribune.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Klickitat County | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | goldendalesentinel.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Okanogan County | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | methowvalleynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Othello (city, Adams) | Pause proposed | – | – | – | othellowa.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Whitman County | Pause proposed | – | – | – | whitmancounty.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
– = not found in the sources we checked
Source: Grounded Compute, Washington moratorium tracker, 31 Oct 2026. https://groundedcompute.com/us/washington/moratoriums
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