Washington local moratoria

Every local infrastructure moratorium in the inventory for Washington, current through August 19, 2026.

19 instruments — 9 in force, 0 pending, 10 past.

State policy is tracked separately: 5 actions (5 bills) in state_legislation.csv. These are not included in the local count above.

Detailed entries

Burien

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: City Council adopted Ordinance 905 by a 6-0 vote on 2026-06-29, effective immediately.
• Normalized date: 2026-06-29 (exact)
• Duration: One-year moratorium in all city districts on accepting, processing, or approving applications to establish, expand, or change a use to a data center with capacity exceeding 20 MVA. Preserves vested rights for complete permit applications filed before the effective date. Public hearing scheduled for 2026-07-13.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-burien-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance 905; RCW 36.70A.390 interim zoning control
• What prompted it: —
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-07-31; one-year moratorium effective 2026-06-29.
• Outcome: —

City of Chelan

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Expired
• Date enacted: 2018-04-24
• Normalized date: 2018-04-24 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months from passage; automatically expired April 2019 unless extended (Ordinance 2018-1538, Section 3)
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-chelan-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 2018-1538; RCW 36.70A.390 and RCW 35A.63.220; Section 5 confirms public hearing held April 10, 2018 (within 60 days)
• What prompted it: Low-cost hydropower attracted cryptocurrency mining; city findings cite high electricity use, cooling equipment, fire-safety risk, and need to study electricity-distribution impacts
• Affected projects: Not quantified in ordinance
• Detailed status: Expired (automatic 12-month expiration April 2019); permanent zoning treatment subsequently incorporated through Comprehensive Plan amendment process
• Outcome: Interim control prohibited acceptance, conduct, and permitting of new cryptocurrency mining while the city studied code and comprehensive-plan changes

City of Cheney

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Expired
• Date enacted: 2018-04-21 (passed by City Council; effective immediately as a public-emergency ordinance per RCW 35A.11.090(2))
• Normalized date: 2018-04-21 (exact)
• Duration: Six months, 2018-04-24 to 2018-10-24 (Ordinance X-27, Section on Term)
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-cheney-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance X-27; RCW 35A.63.220 (cited authority for code-city moratoria, including renewal authority)
• What prompted it: City-operated Light Department faced potential new large single electric loads greater than one MW (CMC 14.08.055); city findings cited fiscal health, capital facilities, utility capacity, and the need to study effects on the electric system
• Affected projects: Not identified in ordinance
• Detailed status: Expired (per Ordinance X-27, Section on Term: automatic expiration October 24, 2018, unless extended; no extension ordinance located in captured city documents as of 2026-04-29)
• Outcome: Ordinance imposed a temporary pause on filing, acceptance, and processing of applications for new or expanded cryptocurrency mining operations; public hearing required within 60 days per ordinance Section on Public Hearing

City of East Wenatchee

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2018-03-27 (Ordinance 2018-06); extension adopted in late 2018 with public hearing set for 2018-12-11 (Ordinance 2018-21)
• Normalized date: 2018-03-27 (exact)
• Duration: Initial six-month interim control (Ord. 2018-06: 2018-03-27 to 2018-09-27, per recital 2.10 of Ord. 2018-21); twelve-month extension under Ordinance 2018-21
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-east-wenatchee-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 2018-06; Ordinance 2018-21 (twelve-month interim official zoning controls under RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390); permanent regulations adopted by Ordinance 2019-19, which added EWMC 17.08.142, 17.08.192, 17.08.193, 17.08.194, and 17.72.270 and amended 17.34.010, 17.66.050, and 17.72.150
• What prompted it: Rapid cryptocurrency mining growth, high continuous electric demand, fire/life-safety risk, and Douglas County PUD electric infrastructure planning concerns identified in Ordinance 2018-21 recitals
• Affected projects: Not identified in captured city ordinance records; regional reports note moratoria coincided with redirected bitcoin investment in the Wenatchee Valley
• Detailed status: Replaced
• Outcome: Ordinance 2019-19 added permanent cryptocurrency mining and data-center provisions in EWMC Title 17, including Douglas County PUD load verification, Department of Labor and Industries electrical permits, and cryptocurrency-mining definitions

City of Entiat

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Expired
• Date enacted: 2018 (Ordinance 779); extension adopted via Ordinance 794 and a further extension via Ordinance 799
• Normalized date: 2018 (year_only)
• Duration: Initial interim control (Ord. 779) followed by extension (Ord. 794) and a further extension by Ord. 799; all three are listed as "Expired" in the Entiat Municipal Code ordinance table
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-entiat-2018
• Legal basis: Entiat Ordinances 779, 794, and 799 (interim controls relating to cryptocurrency mining operations); RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390 (city is non-charter code city)
• What prompted it: Regional cryptocurrency mining/high-density-load pressure tied to cheap Columbia River hydropower and Chelan County PUD capacity concerns; coordination with Chelan PUD regional response
• Affected projects: Not identified
• Detailed status: Expired
• Outcome: Interim controls expired without permanent zoning amendments captured in current Entiat Municipal Code searches; Entiat ordinance table lists each crypto-mining ordinance as expired

City of Ephrata

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Expired
• Date enacted: 2018-10-17 (Spokesman-Review reported the "City Council voted Wednesday" of 2018-10-17 to block new cryptocurrency operations for 12 months; vote 6-1 with Mayor Reim absent)
• Normalized date: 2018-10-17 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months (per Spokesman-Review: "yearlong ban on new cryptocurrency mining")
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-ephrata-2018
• Legal basis: Moratorium adopted by resolution-style council action; the captured Ephrata Ordinance 18-14 is unrelated annexation material and should not be cited [VERIFY: exact ordinance/resolution number for the cryptocurrency moratorium not located on Ephrata city website as of 2026-04-29; City Attorney Anna Franz characterized the action as a "moratorium resolution" per Spokesman-Review reporting]
• What prompted it: Grant County PUD power-capacity uncertainty (Grant PUD received 125 service requests totaling >2,000 MW with ~75% from cryptocurrency firms), noise complaints from residents on Nob Hill Drive ("the noise was like an ocean"), and local concern over whether cryptocurrency mining fit the city utility and land-use framework
• Affected projects: Four existing cryptocurrency operations were reported (two at the Port of Ephrata, one in a city-zoned industrial area, and one in a residential area being relocated); the moratorium applied to new operations only
• Detailed status: Expired / replaced [VERIFY: replacement permanent ordinance not located]
• Outcome: City code is reported to include cryptocurrency provisions within zoning, but the captured Ephrata Municipal Code does not yet include a verified cryptocurrency mining chapter [VERIFY]

City of Leavenworth

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2018-03-27
• Normalized date: 2018-03-27 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-leavenworth-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 1561; RCW 36.70A.390 and RCW 35A.63.220; repealed by Ordinance 1585
• What prompted it: Chelan County PUD briefings on high-density-load growth, limited electrical capacity, and fire-safety risk in areas not designed for such loads
• Affected projects: Not quantified in captured ordinance materials
• Detailed status: Replaced
• Outcome: Ordinance table shows interim zoning control for cryptocurrency mining was repealed by Ordinance 1585

City of Moses Lake

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2018-05 (Columbia Basin Herald reported on 2018-05-28 that Moses Lake "City Council has passed an ordinance" "last week" that prohibits new operations; consistent with a May 2018 enactment date)
• Normalized date: 2018-05 (month_only)
• Duration: Up to 12 months (per Columbia Basin Herald: "for up to 12 months and will give the city time to study the impacts")
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-moses-lake-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 2899 (interim provisions; "Repealed by 2900"); Ordinance 2900 (moratorium on cryptocurrency mining, server farms, and data centers; repealed Ordinance 2899); RCW 35A.63.220 and statutory 60-day public hearing requirement noted by Columbia Basin Herald
• What prompted it: City received inquiries for cryptocurrency operations; local report cited seven known operations (four unpermitted), a recent fire tied to an unpermitted Central Business District operation, residential-zone complaints, and absence of zoning-code treatment
• Affected projects: Seven known cryptocurrency operations reported; properly permitted/vested operations were not affected
• Detailed status: Replaced
• Outcome: Permanent code now regulates cryptocurrency mining operations, server farms, and data centers under Moses Lake Municipal Code Chapter 15.615

City of Seattle

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-09 (Seattle City Council unanimous final passage of Council Bill 121214 and companion Resolution 32204, under emergency designation); signed by Mayor Katie Wilson 2026-06-11; Ordinance No. 127447
• Normalized date: 2026-06-09 (exact)
• Duration: 365 days from the effective date (immediate, under emergency designation), automatically expiring thereafter unless renewed for one or more additional six-month periods in accordance with RCW 36.70A.390; a public hearing is required within 60 days of adoption.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-seattle-2026
• Legal basis: Seattle Ordinance No. 127447 (Council Bill 121214, amended), with companion Resolution 32204 (amended); adopted under the RCW 36.70A.390 interim-zoning-control procedure. Amends SMC 23.84A.008 to define "data center" as a facility used primarily for storing and processing digital data, with power capacity over 20 Megavolt-Amperes and requiring uninterruptible power, and imposes a moratorium on the filing, acceptance, processing, or approval of applications to establish or expand such uses.
• What prompted it: Five proposed large-scale data centers reportedly seeking Seattle City Light service, with combined maximum demand of 369 MW (about a third of Seattle's average daily power consumption); public concern over ratepayer, environmental justice, and power-supply impacts
• Affected projects: Five proposed Seattle data centers, 369 MW combined maximum demand, per Seattle Times report (2026-04-10) and GeekWire follow-up (2026-04-19)
• Detailed status: Active. Adopted by City Council 2026-06-09 (unanimous), signed by Mayor Wilson 2026-06-11. Companion Resolution 32204 directs a study/policy process (grid capacity, water use, utility rates, land use, jobs, and public health impacts) with reports and proposed permanent legislation due by January 2027. Two data center projects that were already vested under prior rules are not covered by the moratorium; new applications from companies including Prologis, Equinix, and Sabey are paused pending the study process. No source dated after early-to-mid summer 2026 was located to further update this status as of 2026-07-31.
• Outcome: Moratorium enacted 2026-06-09; the city is using the pause and the companion Resolution 32204 working-group process to study grid, water, ratepayer, and environmental-justice impacts and to develop permanent siting/zoning rules, with reports and proposed permanent legislation due by January 2027.

City of Wenatchee

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2018-02-22; extended 2019-02-14
• Normalized date: 2018-02-22 (exact)
• Duration: Initial six-month interim official control under RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390; extended for an additional six months by Ordinance 2019-04 (effective approximately 2019-02-23) until permanent zoning amendments were adopted
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-wenatchee-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 2018-04 (interim official control, "Not codified" per Wenatchee ordinance table); Ordinance 2019-04 (extension; repealed by Ordinance 2019-30); Ordinance 2019-30 (permanent regulations); RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390
• What prompted it: Cryptocurrency mining/high-density-load growth, power-distribution concerns, and fire/safety concerns identified during the Chelan PUD-driven regional response
• Affected projects: Not quantified in primary city code table; regional reports describe delayed or redirected bitcoin data center investment, including a $100 million Salcido Enterprises expansion that was redirected outside Washington (NWPB, 2018-04-09)
• Detailed status: Replaced
• Outcome: Ordinance 2019-30 added WMC 10.48.310, amended sections 10.08.050, 10.08.055, and 10.10.020 to regulate cryptocurrency mining and data centers, and repealed Ordinance 2019-04

Douglas County

• Type: County
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2018-04 (per MRSC May 2018 report: "this April, the county issued a moratorium on the use of cargo containers for cryptocurrency mining in unincorporated areas")
• Normalized date: 2018-04 (unverified)
• Duration: Not verified from primary ordinance text; MRSC characterizes the action as a moratorium on cargo-container cryptocurrency mining operations
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-douglas-county-2018
• Legal basis: County moratorium on use of cargo containers for cryptocurrency mining, reported by MRSC; later code amendments TLS 19-12-31C addressed cargo containers and cryptocurrency mining; RCW 36.70A.390 (county plans under the Growth Management Act)
• What prompted it: Unincorporated-area cryptocurrency mining in cargo containers and related safety, noise, and land-use concerns; Douglas County PUD reported a 3-month moratorium on its own electric service applications followed by tiered rates
• Affected projects: Not identified
• Detailed status: Replaced
• Outcome: Douglas County code now contains cryptocurrency mining and data center operational standards, including PUD verification and noise/performance controls

Federal Way

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: City Council unanimously adopted emergency Ordinance No. 26-1048 on 2026-07-07, effective immediately.
• Normalized date: 2026-07-07 (exact)
• Duration: 12-month citywide moratorium barring the siting, creation, or expansion of data centers and the acceptance, processing, or approval of related land-use and building-permit applications, for facilities exceeding 1 megawatt or 4,000 square feet. Preserves vested rights. Public hearing scheduled for 2026-09-01.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-federal-way-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance No. 26-1048; RCW 36.70A.390 interim zoning control
• What prompted it: —
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-07-31; 12-month moratorium effective 2026-07-07.
• Outcome: —

Marysville

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 3381 on 2026-07-13.
• Normalized date: 2026-07-13 (exact)
• Duration: Six-month pause on acceptance, processing, and approval of land-use and permit applications for facilities whose principal use is digital-data processing, storage, management, or transmission; incidental server equipment supporting another principal use is excluded. Public hearing required within 60 days.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-marysville-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance No. 3381; RCW 36.70A.390 interim zoning control
• What prompted it: Study period covers siting, public safety, land-use compatibility, water and sewer planning, utility rates, and permanent code amendments.
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-07-31; six-month moratorium effective 2026-07-13.
• Outcome: —

Pasco

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: Reported as a unanimous (6-0) council vote around mid-2026; exact date and ordinance number not confirmed from a primary source this pass
• Normalized date: — (unverified)
• Duration: Six months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-pasco-undated
• Legal basis: Not confirmed this pass; the city's Codes, Ordinances & Resolutions page and Laserfiche document portal both blocked/errored on direct fetch
• What prompted it: —
• Affected projects: Acceptance and processing of permits and business licenses for new data centers, crypto mining, and related high-density computing facilities, per secondary reporting
• Detailed status: Reported active per news; not independently confirmed via a primary source [VERIFY instrument number; adoption date; primary source (news-only evidence) not confirmed at confidence 0.45 in the 2026-07 refresh]
• Outcome: Council reportedly approved unanimously a six-month moratorium; primary-source confirmation still needed

Seattle

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-09, City Council adoption (Council Bill 121214 and companion Resolution 32204)
• Normalized date: 2026-06-09 (exact)
• Duration: Temporary freeze on new data center siting while impact studies are conducted; extendable up to an additional 6 months, with a 60-day public hearing requirement
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-seattle-2026-2
• Legal basis: Amended Council Bill 121214 (siting freeze) and companion Resolution 32204 (policy framework)
• What prompted it: —
• Affected projects: New large data center siting citywide
• Detailed status: Active as of adoption 2026-06-09; not independently re-checked past that date [VERIFY primary source (news-only evidence) not confirmed at confidence 0.65 in the 2026-07 refresh]
• Outcome: Council unanimously adopted legislation placing a temporary freeze on new data center siting pending impact studies

Skagit County

• Type: County
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-01
• Normalized date: 2026-06-01 (exact)
• Duration: Six months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-skagit-county-2026
• Legal basis: Board of County Commissioners action under RCW 36.70A.390 (interim zoning control); public hearing held 2026-07-14
• What prompted it: Concerns about protecting farmland and water resources in unincorporated Skagit County from large-scale data center development
• Affected projects: Facilities larger than 2,000 square feet or with an anticipated electrical load of 2 megawatts or greater.
• Detailed status: In effect in unincorporated Skagit County (outside incorporated cities and towns); a public hearing required under RCW 36.70A.390 was held 2026-07-14.
• Outcome: Temporary ban on data centers in unincorporated Skagit County while the county considers longer-term regulation.

Snohomish County

• Type: County
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: County Council approved Emergency Ordinance 26-026 on 2026-06-24, effective immediately.
• Normalized date: 2026-06-24 (exact)
• Duration: Six-month interim zoning control under RCW 36.70A.390 pausing the filing, acceptance, processing, or approval of applications to establish or expand data centers (including incidental uses) or to change a use to a data center, in all zones of unincorporated Snohomish County. Requires a public hearing within 60 days and permits six-month renewals after hearing and findings.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-snohomish-county-2026
• Legal basis: Emergency Ordinance 26-026; RCW 36.70A.390 interim zoning control
• What prompted it: Covers data centers with a total planned electrical load of at least 2 MW; adopted while the county develops permanent regulations.
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-07-31; six-month interim control effective 2026-06-24, renewable in six-month increments after hearing and findings.
• Outcome: —

Spokane

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-23, Ordinance C36887
• Normalized date: 2026-06-23 (exact)
• Duration: One year
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: wa-spokane-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance C36887
• What prompted it: —
• Affected projects: New computer data center building permit applications citywide
• Detailed status: Active; public hearing set for 2026-07-22
• Outcome: Council passed a one-year moratorium on acceptance, processing, review, and approval of building permit applications for new data centers

Town of Waterville

• Type: Town
• Status: ⚪ Expired
• Date enacted: 2018 (Ordinance 792) [VERIFY: exact passage date not confirmed; Waterville Municipal Code is hosted on eCode360 (WA4837) which is JS-rendered and did not yield the ordinance table on automated fetch as of 2026-04-29]
• Normalized date: 2018 (unverified)
• Duration: Not verified from primary text [VERIFY: Ordinance 792 PDF not located on Waterville town website as of 2026-04-29]
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: wa-waterville-2018
• Legal basis: Ordinance 792, interim official control on cryptocurrency mining; RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390 (town is non-charter code town)
• What prompted it: Douglas County-area cryptocurrency mining applications and utility capacity concerns; MRSC May 2018 report identified Waterville as having imposed a moratorium on accepting applications for mining operations (alongside East Wenatchee)
• Affected projects: Not identified
• Detailed status: Expired / replaced [VERIFY: replacement ordinance not located]
• Outcome: Town code presumably includes cryptocurrency mining provisions but the eCode360 ordinance table could not be retrieved automatically; primary ordinance text remains uncaptured

Source: moratorium_inventory.csv · Methodology · Codebook.

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