Five leases in the region have been terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency, including in Richland. The move leaves more questions than answers.
The governor presented $4 billion in new reductions at the end of February and said he supports another $3 billion in savings former Gov. Jay Inslee proposed in December. This scrub is Ferguson’s first step in addressing an operating budget deficit that Democratic lawmakers say is roughly $12 billion over the next four years. Ferguson pegged the number higher, at $15 billion.
With Amazon and Energy Northwest teaming up to provide small modular nuclear reactors located at Energy Northwest’s campus in north Richland, local utilities are taking notice – and they are planning to take advantage of the opportunity.
A change to what West Richland will allow to be built in some parts of the city could signal that developers are eyeing the community for a future data center.