Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Public hearing required within 60 days
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County has imposed a six-month emergency moratorium on permit applications for data centers and battery energy storage systems.
Ordinance 26-02, signed by Commissioners Rob Coffman, Scott Hutsell and Jo M. Gilchrist, stops county employees from accepting or processing applications for those types of facilities. No building or occupancy permit, other development approval or business license may be issued, under the moratorium. And any permit issued in error would be voided.
Commissioners said county code does not specifically address data centers or battery energy storage systems.
State law allows commissioners to adopt a temporary freeze without prior notice to preserve the status quo while new rules are written, as long as a public hearing is held within 60 days.
The ordinance defines a data center as one or more facilities that house computing, networking and storage equipment and either exceeds 2,000 square feet or has a planned electrical load of 2 megawatts or more.
Battery energy storage systems comprise large rechargeable batteries, power-conversion equipment and controls used to store electricity for later use.
Commissioners cited growing demand for digital storage and the strain those projects can put on land, power, cooling water and nearby residents through noise and other effects.
The moratorium lasts six months from the date of adoption unless the board repeals or changes it.
Lincoln County’s moratorium follows similar actions in other nearby counties.
Other counties
In adjacent Spokane County, a moratorium on data centers is in place through December.
Spokane County leaders hosted a public information session on data centers Aug. 27 and has another scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 15.
In Adams County, commissioners and staff are working on rules for data centers.
During a recent meeting, county staff suggested any future data centers be allowed only in industrial-zoned areas.
Conversely, Grant County already has operating data centers, with at least one in Moses Lake and three in Quincy.
Reader Comments(0)