In a significant victory for local residents, the La Pine City Council in Central Oregon has unanimously voted to reject a proposed 20-megawatt data center.
When developer Boxminer pitched the large facility to the small town of just 3,200 people, it promised jobs, tax revenue, and economic growth. However, residents quickly pushed back, raising serious concerns about the project’s enormous electricity demands, potential strain on local groundwater supplies, and impact on existing infrastructure.
Community members packed public meetings and challenged the developer’s optimistic projections. An independent review commissioned by the city later revealed major discrepancies between the company’s claims and realistic estimates regarding revenue, job creation, and grid impacts.
After weeks of intense public debate, the City Council voted unanimously to deny the land sale and block the project entirely.
The decision has drawn national attention and is now seen as a notable example in the growing debate over whether small towns should host large-scale data centers and AI infrastructure when the promised benefits may not outweigh the long-term costs to local resources and quality of life.