Seattle's city government is poised to enact a year-long moratorium on new datacenters, a significant move amidst growing concerns over their environmental impact and energy consumption. The proposed datacenters would have consumed about a third of the city's daily electricity demand, prompting city council committees to unanimously support the moratorium. A full council vote is anticipated soon, with activists viewing it as a formality following extensive public engagement. Lawmakers aim to draft regulations tailored to the AI industry during this period, with a focus on pollution standards and energy requirements. The response from Seattle's tech community, including employees from Amazon and Microsoft, has been robust, with over 10,000 emails advocating for the moratorium. Activists are also pushing for stricter definitions regarding which datacenters can expand during the moratorium. Concerns have been raised about the potential negative impacts of datacenters on local resources and the environment, particularly by Indigenous groups. The moratorium is seen as a strategic pause to assess the viability of datacenters in urban areas and to advocate for public benefits in exchange for any future approvals.