Are Oregon Communities Actually Getting a Fair Deal from Data Centers?

 Data centers promise progress. They power AI, cloud storage, streaming, and many of the online services we use every day. They can also bring investment and jobs into Oregon. In fact, state economic analysis estimates that data centers support thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity across Oregon. 

But there is another side of the story that deserves our attention. 

Data centers require enormous infrastructure. They need land, electricity, and sometimes large amounts of water. As more facilities are built, communities have to ask an important question: Who receives the benefits, and who is responsible for the costs?

This question is especially relevant right here in Oregon. In Hillsboro, the rapid expansion of data centers has created controversy over tax incentives, water and energy use, farmland, and how much control local communities have over development decisions. In June 2026, 1000 Friends of Oregon and other community groups filed a lawsuit challenging approvals connected to property-tax breaks for 17 data center applications. This does not mean data centers are simply "good" or "bad." They are an important part of the technology we increasingly depend on. But supporting technology should not mean ignoring its consequences. If a company wants to use a community's land, electricity, water, and infrastructure, residents deserve to know what they are getting in return. They should have a voice in decisions that could affect their neighborhoods for decades.

AI may feel like something happening far away in "the cloud," but the infrastructure behind it is being built in real communities, including ours. 

Oregon is making decisions about data centers right now. Those decisions could shape our land, resources, and communities for years to come. Don't wait until the buildings are already here to learn what's happening.

See what is happening with data centers in Oregon and why local communities are speaking up.