Water
Pearson v. Port of Morrow
Where it stands
Case lifecycle
- ✓
Filed
A petition or complaint is filed, opening the case.
- ✓
Answer
The defendant is served and files an answer or a plea to the jurisdiction.
- 3
Discovery — current stage
The parties exchange documents, written questions, and depositions.
- 4
Motions
Dispositive motions — summary judgment or a plea to the jurisdiction — are briefed and heard.
- 5
Trial
The case is tried to a judge or jury.
- 6
Judgment
The court enters a final judgment.
- 7
Appeal
The judgment is challenged in an appellate court.
- 8
Resolved
The case is finally resolved and closed.
Class certified; Amazon Data Services settled its share for $20.5M (March 2026); trial set for 2027 against the remaining defendants.
What the case is about
Residents of a rural Oregon groundwater area sued the Port of Morrow and several industrial and agricultural operations, alleging that nitrate-laden wastewater — including from data centers at the port — was spread on nearby farmland and contaminated drinking-water wells above federal limits. A judge certified the case as a class action. Amazon Data Services, which has run data centers in the county since 2011, agreed in March 2026 to pay $20.5 million to settle its share without admitting liability; the case continues against the remaining defendants, with trial set for 2027.
Why it matters
It is the first case in which a data-center operator has paid to resolve claims that its wastewater helped contaminate neighbors' groundwater — a concrete precedent for water-harm litigation.
- Court
- U.S. District Court, District of Oregon (Pendleton Division)
- Docket / cause no.
- 2:24-cv-00362
- Jurisdiction
- U.S. federal — D. Or.
- Plaintiffs
- Morrow and Umatilla County, Oregon residents, on behalf of a certified class
- Defendants
- Port of Morrow, Lamb Weston, area agricultural operations, and others; Amazon Data Services settled its share
- Operator
- Amazon Data Services (data centers in Morrow County since 2011)
- Relief sought
- Class-action damages for groundwater contamination
Last action: Amazon Data Services settled its share for $20.5M; case continues against the remaining defendants · March 31, 2026
Facing similar harm on your land?
If a data center or crypto mine is affecting the use and quiet enjoyment of your Texas property, you may have options. Talk to a Texas attorney about your specific situation — this is not about joining the case above.
Request a free consultationSummary is our own words and describes only what the public filings assert. Nothing here characterizes the merits or predicts an outcome, and no party is described as liable before a court has ruled. This is general information, not legal advice. Follow the links above for the public record.