Governor Kotek: “Data center corporations are taking Oregon out to an expensive dinner and leaving our environment, communities, and people to foot the bill.”
Portland, OR — Today, Governor Tina Kotek announced her support for local moratoriums on new data center development across Oregon.
“Governor Kotek is committed to making sure Oregonians see lower utility costs and to protecting Oregon’s clean air and water,” said Federico Araujo, communications director for Tina for Oregon. “Oregonians have made it clear that data centers need to pay their fair share, commit to clean energy, and monitor their energy and water usage. Governor Kotek stands with Oregonians on those shared values.”
Governor Kotek has long been a leader on climate action, focused on fighting climate change, building climate resilience, and charting a path to a clean energy future. Just last month, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved new rates for PGE for data center energy use through the POWER Act – championed by Governor Kotek during the 2025 legislative session – creating protections for working Oregonians by ensuring data centers and cryptocurrency facilities pay their fair share of energy costs.
Meanwhile, her opponent Christine Drazan wants to halt Oregon’s progress on climate action: she has taken tens of thousands of dollars from Big Oil, blocked legislation to hold polluters accountable, voted against the POWER Act, and promised to repeal the executive order establishing the Climate Protection Program. In 2022, Drazan was one of LCV’s “Dirty Dozen in the States” and has since continued to fight against environmental protections.
ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK
Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.
Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.
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