An Amazon data center in Boardman, Ore., on April 2, 2026. Many of the data centers across Oregon rely on diesel generators to provide backup power — which, if used, could release massive amounts of diesel pollution into nearby communities.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
Earlier this year, Amazon purchased more than 1,000 acres near Boardman, Oregon. As reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.com, it could be the site for the state’s first “exascale” data center.
Kaleb Lay, director of policy and research at Oregon Rural Action, says that an uptick in data centers brings a number of concerns to the group, including water contamination, water use and growing demand for electricity. He shares more on their concerns.
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