AGENDA REPORT
_____________________________________________________________________________ TO: FROM:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Councilmember Charlene Wang DATE: September 17, 2026
SUBJECT: Amendments to the Moratorium on Data Centers
_____________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: To adopt the Moratorium on Data Centers as amended.
Councilmember Wang is introducing three amendments (beginning on page 6 of the attached legislation) to strengthen the moratorium.
Oakland needs a long-term plan to address data center impacts. The first amendment directs City Administration to prepare a report to council on localized impacts of data centers in Oakland.
These must at least include impacts on all the following: residential and commercial energy rates, the overall energy system, residential and commercial water rates, overall water supply, air pollution, noise pollution, and public health. The data center boom has also been a diesel boom.
This amendment directs the report to consider impacts associated with generators or other supplemental energy sources powering data centers.
With that analysis, City Administration shall identify regulatory options—including a permanent moratorium—that Oakland can undertake. The amendment also directs a strategy for community engagement and input, so the public can weigh in.
The second amendment removes language authorizing City Council to set regulations for approval of data centers before the moratorium expires. This makes the moratorium length a binding constraint which council cannot speed up.
The final amendment strengthens the temporary moratorium by prohibiting data center applications from being processed. This prevents prospective data centers from moving forward while a moratorium is in place.
Prepared by: Michael Wimsatt, Chief of Staff for District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang, [email protected]