The Data Center in Oregon: Who Really Pays for the Water?
C redit to: Max Smolaks If you've driven past the outskirts of Hillsboro or The Dalles lately, you've seen them: windowless, humming fortresses the size of several football fields. Oregon has become one of the world's favorite places to build data centers—the giant server farms that power your Netflix stream, your Zoom call, and even your ChatGPT query. Supporters of these facilities point to the benefits they bring. Data centers create jobs, generate tax revenue, and help position Oregon as a leader in the digit...