In a joint letter to Governor Ferguson, WCEC and Third Act Washington argued that the Data Center Workgroup’s December 1 preliminary recommendations reflect industry priorities more than the concerns of voters, ratepayers, and residents. The letter highlights revelations from the Department of Ecology’s minority report that multiple data center developers have proposed using fossil fuels as their main power source.
- The Workgroup rejected (by one vote) a recommendation that would have required data centers to use clean energy to qualify for tax breaks.
- Ecology’s minority report reveals “multiple data center developers have shared proposals with Ecology to use fossil fuels as the main source of their power.”
- The Data Center Coalition stated data centers will use backup generators rather than reduce load during energy emergencies — degrading air quality in already-overburdened communities.
- The letter makes seven specific policy recommendations spanning clean energy, prices, grid stability, water, neighbor quality of life, tax equity, and AI’s broader future.
- The Yakama Nation’s detailed analysis is highlighted as the most thoughtful contribution to the Workgroup’s deliberations.