The Seattle Times and ProPublica reported on how the state created a massive tax break for data centers, encouraging the growth of an industry whose energy use conflicts with a goal for utilities to go carbon neutral by 2030.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson today announced that he's forming a work group to dig into the impacts of data centers in the state.

The executive order to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of the data center industry follows a Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has initiated a workgroup to evaluate the effects of data centers on Washington's economy, tax revenue, energy use, and environment, according to a release.