In The Dalles, Oregon, water is becoming a growing source of concern — and residents have every right to ask who stands to gain.

Google operates a massive data center campus in The Dalles and, according to reporting, uses nearly one-third of the city’s water supply. Now, a proposal before Congress would transfer about 150 acres of Mount Hood National Forest into city ownership, giving local officials direct control over land tied to Mount Hood’s watershed. While supporters claim the transfer is about future municipal needs, many people worry it could quietly benefit water-intensive corporate expansion.

This petition isn’t anti-technology or anti-growth. It’s about fairness, transparency, and protecting shared resources. When a global tech company is already the largest water user in a small town, any move to consolidate control over water sources should raise serious questions.

Mount Hood National Forest is public land. Once federal land is transferred, public oversight is reduced and decisions about water access become harder for residents to influence. That matters even more as Oregon faces increasing drought risk and long-term climate uncertainty.

The Dalles’ population has grown slowly over the past decade, yet water demand continues to rise. Residents deserve honest answers about why — and about how much of that demand comes from corporate infrastructure rather than community needs. They also deserve assurances that public land is not being reshaped to meet private interests behind closed doors.

This petition calls for the proposed land transfer to be stopped unless there is full transparency and public accountability. That means independent environmental review, open public hearings, and clear disclosure of how major corporate water users factor into long-term water planning.

Water is a shared resource. Small towns should not be pressured to trade public land or future water security to meet the demands of Big Tech.

Sign to say it clearly: Big Tech shouldn’t control small-town water.

Photo: Francesco Vaninetti Photo/Getty Images