The data center next door
This special report from The Oregonian/OregonLive examines what happens when one of the world's biggest companies lands in one of Oregon's smallest communities. Internet data centers bring big economic upside, but they come with costs — often amplified by tax breaks.
How leaders in a small Oregon town positioned themselves for an Amazon ‘windfall’
Officials in Morrow County lured Amazon with tax breaks worth nearly $50 million a year, a bonanza for one of the world’s wealthiest companies. And a bonanza for a few of the public officials, too, as it turned out. Read more »
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North Plains’ plan to double in size thrusts tiny community into Oregon’s eternal land debate
The bedroom community wants homes and jobs but critics fear data centers and warehouses will replace farms and fields.
Oregon officials face ethics sanctions over Amazon data centers’ tax breaks and land deals
The three officials own a telecom company that provides fiber-optic service to Amazon. They're facing allegations they broke ethics laws by failing to disclose they could benefit from deals with the tech giant.
Small eastern Oregon city could be next hotspot for big data centers
As Hillsboro runs short of industrial land, data centers are looking at small towns like Forest Grove and Umatilla.
Artificial intelligence tech behind ChatGPT guzzles Iowa water, researchers say
To keep cool on hot days, data centers need to pump in water — often to a cooling tower outside its warehouse-sized buildings.
Northwest data centers’ electricity use could more than double, imperiling climate goals
Three separate forecasts this summer predict regional data centers will need far more power than previously anticipated.
Cascade Locks rejects $100 million data center in the Columbia River Gorge
“We just didn’t feel like there was enough public support to continue with it."
Oregon ethics panel dismisses case against former port director over Amazon data center tax breaks
The port’s longtime director is one of four officials in Morrow County who purchased a local company that provides fiber-optics to Amazon.
Chip startup Ampere pitches climate-friendly data centers
“The problem we’re trying to solve is a global issue."
Oregon data centers fend off climate change, tax reform proposals
Data centers' Oregon tax breaks and carbon emissions are growing rapidly.
Will submerging computers make data centers more climate friendly?
Intel is immersing servers in fluids to keep them cool.
Oregon lawmakers move to scale back tax break reforms
Most of the state's enterprise zone incentives go to data centers.
Amazon secures $1 billion in tax breaks for five new data centers in eastern Oregon
The tax breaks are contentious because of potential conflicts of interest among the local officials approving them.
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