Seattle Implements Year-Long Ban on New AI Datacenters Amid Environmental Concerns
Seattle has enacted a year-long moratorium on the construction of new datacenters, following a unanimous vote by the city council. This decision positions Seattle as the largest U.S. city to impose such a ban, reflecting growing national concerns over the environmental impact of AI infrastructure. The moratorium aims to provide time for drafting regulations that address the high electricity consumption of datacenters, which are being built to support the AI sector. Mayor Katie Wilson emphasized the need to assess whether these datacenters are a 'good use of urban land' and suggested that future approvals might require developers to contribute to local transit and housing projects. The move was partly driven by public pressure, including a campaign by local tech workers and activists, who sent nearly 100,000 emails to lawmakers. An amendment allows existing datacenters to apply for expansions, which has raised concerns about increased power demand during the moratorium. 
