LA County will study data center’s appetite for power, water to meet AI demand

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has voted to undertake a four-month study to investigate the substantial power and water demands of large data centers, as well as their potential environmental and health impacts on communities. This decision, approved on Tuesday, April 14, comes amid growing concerns about the infrastructure strain these facilities, particularly those supporting artificial intelligence, could place on public utilities. Supervisor Hilda Solis initially proposed a motion that included exploring a moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated county communities and legal actions to prevent their construction. However, after hearing from various construction unions who highlighted the job creation potential of these developments, Solis amended her motion, removing both the moratorium proposal and the exploration of legal action. This contrasts with actions taken by cities like El Monte, which recently enacted a 45-day moratorium on new data center land-use applications due to resident concerns over utility rates and environmental impacts. Key concerns prompting the study include findings from Pacific Gas & Electric suggesting data center demand could equate to the electricity usage of 8 million homes. County Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath warned that this demand could undermine LA County's sustainability goals by necessitating reliance on fossil-fuel-burning "peaker plants." Mark Pestrella, director of county Public Works, highlighted the immense water usage, stating one large data center could consume up to 5 million gallons daily, potentially forcing local water agencies to purchase more expensive imported water and increase consumer bills. Barbara Ferrer, director of the county Department of Public Health, cited studies showing a 48% increase in data center greenhouse gas emissions since 2019 and discussed health impacts from noise pollution and air contaminants like PM2.5. While labor representatives like Joe Sullivan of IBEW Local 11 and George Bocanegra of Western States Regional Council of Carpenters emphasized the high-paying job opportunities, residents and advocacy groups, such as Samuel Brown of Avocado Heights Vaquer@s, expressed "fear and uncertainty" regarding rising utility costs and safety, advocating for immediate standards over further study. The amended motion now requires data centers to minimize water usage and impacts on water rates, use clean energy, and pay a living wage. The county Department of Regional Planning has been tasked with developing future guidelines for where, or if, data centers should be permitted within LA County.