As new data centers are headed to Eastern Oregon, opponents share their concerns

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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