Google plans Palo annexation to sidestep Linn County data center rules
Mar 7th 2026
Google says it will seek annexation of a 545 acre site into the small city of Palo to move a proposed data center under city rules, potentially avoiding Linn County requirements on water studies, economic agreements and disclosures.
- Google plans a six building data center campus on 545 acres adjacent to the Duane Arnold Energy Center.
- Google told Linn County it will pursue annexation into the city of Palo so the project would be governed by city rules, not the county's.
- Linn County's February ordinance requires water studies, water use and economic agreements, public disclosure, and noise and light limits for unincorporated data centers.
- Annexation would end a planned $500,000 regional water balance study and could let the project avoid the county's economic and water conditions.
- Palo currently has no specific data center zoning and must hold public meetings, write a new code, and approve any annexation before the project moves forward.
- County officials say they had negotiated an economic plan with Google before Google chose annexation and are urging Palo to adopt similar protections.