
Ferguson Announces Formation of Data Center Workgroup
Gov. Bob Ferguson has assembled a workgroup to assess the impact of data centers on Washington's economy and general quality of life.
As you might expect from someone in his position, with so many competing constituencies, Ferguson says he's trying to strike a delicate balance - industry growth on the one hand, environmental and energy stewardship on the other.
The Wenatchee Valley in particular has, of late, heard an earful about data centers. (Data industry folk are so irrepressibly drawn to this area that even the New York Times has taken notice.) These are physical spaces that house critical IT infrastructure: servers, networking equipment and the like.

Data centers are crucial to Washington’s ever-booming digital economy, Ferguson says, and a chance at reinvention and revitalization for rural areas.
By the same token, these facilities demand heavy-duty amounts of electricity, necessitating "increased energy generation, storage and transmission." This puts a strain on local power grids.
Per Executive Order 25-05, the Washington Department of Revenue will lead the group as it weighs policies to manage energy use and economic impacts.
The workgroup "shall include representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Utilities and Transportation Commission, the Department of Ecology, electric utilities, environmental advocacy groups, labor organizations, industry stakeholders and others, as designated by the Office of the Governor," Ferguson writes.
The group "shall discuss the impacts of data centers on Washington State’s economy, tax revenue, energy use and the environment. The Workgroup will consider policies that balance industry growth, tax revenue needs, energy constraints and sustainability."
The group has until December 1 to present its findings and policy prescriptions.
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Gallery Credit: Mark Rattner with KPQ Newsradio 560
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