Rainmaker Rankings September 6-12, 2026
Score loading….
Weekly Scoring Table
| Rank | Leader / Organization | This Week | Overall | Articles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tina Kotek | +2 | +6 | 1 |
| 2 | Oregon Legislature | 0 | +3 | 1 |
Articles Scored This Week
Gov. Kotek pauses data centers on state land. Capitol demonstrators want her to go further.
Date: September 8, 2026
Leader / Organization: Tina Kotek
Score: +2
Score Headline: Pauses new data centers on state-owned land
Score Explanation: Gov. Tina Kotek told Oregon agencies to pause new data-center projects involving state-owned property through July 1, 2027, while the state works on broader rules for the industry. The order covers things like leases, easements, permits and land sales. It is also about as far as Kotek can currently go on her own, because the governor does not have the power to stop data-center development on private land statewide.
This is also a change in Kotek’s approach. In August, she supported local moratoriums while waiting for recommendations from her Data Center Advisory Committee. A month later, before that group had finished its work, she decided to move ahead and pause projects on state-controlled land.
The bigger question is whether Oregon is getting a fair deal from data centers. These projects can use huge amounts of electricity and water and can require major infrastructure, while some companies also receive large tax breaks. Data centers should pay the costs they create instead of pushing those costs onto Oregon households and other businesses.
Oregon lawmakers approve more than $120 million to cover cost of 2026 wildfires
Date: September 10, 2026
Leader / Organization: Oregon Legislature
Score: 0
Score Headline: Authorized $120M for 2026 wildfire suppression and response costs
Score Explanation: Wouldn't it be nice if fossil-fuel companies paid some of these costs? Too bad lawmakers didn't pass the 2026 Climate Superfund bill.
The Joint Emergency Board approved nearly $123 million to help cover Oregon's record-setting 2026 wildfire suppression and response costs. That's necessary funding, but paying the bill for an emergency isn't enough to earn a positive score. Meanwhile, Oregon lawmakers failed to pass the 2026 Climate Superfund bill, which would have required major fossil-fuel companies to contribute toward the public costs associated with climate change. With 2026 wildfire response costs projected to reach roughly $350 million, taxpayers are once again left carrying most of the immediate burden.
