Arizona county rejects proposed La Osa data center. But the fight for regulations continues
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 against rezoning land for the proposed La Osa Energy Center data center project near Eloy, Arizona. This decision is considered a significant win for environmental activists and local community organizations who opposed the development due to its potential impacts.
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors, in a 4-1 vote, rejected a rezoning request for the proposed La Osa Energy Center data center project near Eloy, Arizona. This decision marks a major victory for environmental activists and community groups, including Rural Arizona Engagement (RAZE) and Pinal Code Watchers, along with local labor unions, who had mobilized in opposition.
The project, proposed by Phoenix-based land developer Vermaland, encompassed over 3,300 acres and was planned to include 59 buildings for data centers, gas generation plants, and a fire station. Although the county initially approved an amended proposal in November 2025, advocacy organizations subsequently raised awareness in local communities about the project's potential environmental impacts, leading to strong public testimony against it during the recent hearing in Florence, Arizona. Community members at the hearing expressed that even with this denial, the fight for stronger regulations, including a potential ban on data centers, continues.