Native-Owned Energy Firms Offer Low-Water Data Center Alternative Amid Salem Fight
In Salem, Oregon, a $5 billion AI/cloud data center named Oakline at Mill Creek, which is supported by Google and developed by Verrus, is projected to consume up to 3.1 million gallons of water each day. City officials engaged in secret negotiations with Verrus until a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) was made public on July 8. Following this, on July 27, the city council unanimously voted 8-0 to consider prohibiting future NDAs. Governor Tina Kotek mandated the cancellation of the sale of 32 out of the project's 75 acres. The council initiated a formal moratorium process on August 3. Concerns regarding water rights and environmental effects continue, with Native-owned firms like Colusa Indian Energy and EnerTribe proposing lower-water solutions, as reported by journalist Petala Ironcloud.
Key facts
- Salem, Oregon city council voted 8-0 to explore banning future NDAs with data center developers on July 27.
- Oregon Governor Tina Kotek ordered the state to terminate its sale of 32 acres of the Oakline project on July 30.
- The city council voted unanimously to begin a formal moratorium process on August 3.
- Colusa Indian Energy has partnerships with over 50 Native Nations for data center microgrids.
- Colusa's projects use less than 100,000 gallons of water per day, compared to 3.1 million gallons for Oakline.
- EnerTribe offers a 92-inch AI rack powered by solar panels and Tesla battery walls.
- Google's water use in The Dalles quintupled to 550 million gallons in 2025, nearly 40% of city's total.
- Verrus did not respond to requests for comment on water-use figures.
- Native water rights could take legal priority over data center rights if adjudicated.
- The project is not stopped outright; half the site remains privately owned.
Entities
Artists
- Hannah Shooting Bear
- Ken Ahmann
- Forest James
- Jeff Bladen
- Dylan Hedden-Nicely
- Petala Ironcloud
Institutions
- Verrus
- Colusa Indian Energy
- Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians
- Indigenous Now
- EnerTribe
- Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation
- Spokane Tribe
- Redding Rancheria
- Colusa Indian Community
- University of Idaho
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- The New York Times
- Time
- MIT Technology Review
- ARTnews
Locations
- Salem
- Oregon
- California
- Ashland
- The Dalles
- Willamette River
- United States