🪫 No data centers for a year

🚫 Seattle Passes Temporary Ban on Large Data Centers

City Council voted 9-0 to establish a one-year moratorium on large new data centers on Tuesday, and Mayor Kate Wilson expressed enthusiasm about signing the bill. They cited environmental concerns, job loss, inequity, and more as reasons for establishing a ban. Seattle joins more than 70 cities that have placed temporary bans on data centers. [Seattle Times]

• Not a complete ban: Council member Eddie Lin put forth an amendment that allows existing data centers to apply to expand up to 20 megawatts, which would, in theory, allow them to use more energy than the moratorium initially called for. [The Burner]
• Homework time: The one-year moratorium is to be used to study the impact of data centers and create regulations around some of the biggest questions related to the impact of data centers: climate, labor, land use, etc.
• Good news: According to Grist, for the first time in history, solar outpaced coal as an energy provider, according to statistics from May. Despite efforts to increase coal production, solar energy is expected to keep growing. [Grist.org]

🐊 Is The Crocodile becoming a comedy club? The Stranger had a conversation with Chris Copen, who manages venues for Comedy Tent, the new owners of the Crocodile. Copin talks about plans for Madame Lou’s and Here-After, how they ‘are really excited about the music,' and that they don’t intend to turn the venue into a comedy venue. We’ll be following this closely and speaking with Copin soon. [The Stranger]

⌨️ Gates appears before Epstein committee: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates appeared before members of Congress yesterday to be questioned about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. The interview was not recorded. Gates’ name appears throughout the Epstein files, including in a salacious e-mail Epstein sent to himself. Gates denies any wrongdoing. [KUOW]

💡 New legislation could make your utility bill more affordable: Councilmembers Dan Strauss and Joy Hollingsworth are proposing new legislation to make more residents eligible for the city’s utility discount program. The program gives 60 percent off of City Light bills and 50 percent off of Seattle Public Utilities bills for those making up to 60 percent of Seattle’s median income. These median income numbers are frankly kind of mindblowing. [PubliCola]