Houston residents oppose proposed data center project
A company named Raeden plans to convert a vacant building in San Jacinto, CA, into a 50-megawatt data center, facing strong opposition from residents and city leaders due to its proximity to homes. City officials, while unable to legally stop the project, intend to impose strict restrictions via a special use permit covering noise, emissions, and water usage. The developer claims the company already meets these standards and views them as accountability measures.
Raeden, a data center company, is proposing to convert a long-vacant glass bottle manufacturing plant on Fidelity Street in San Jacinto, California, into a 50-megawatt data center. This project has encountered significant opposition from local residents and city leaders due to the facility's proximity to residential areas.
During a town hall meeting, residents, including Wayne Randall, voiced concerns about the data center, while City Manager Lon Squire questioned the appropriateness of such a facility located only 350 feet from a neighborhood. The city previously passed a non-binding resolution discouraging data center development, but officials acknowledge they cannot legally prevent Raeden's project from proceeding.
In response to the opposition, Raeden's president, Jason Green, stated that the company plans to implement noise dampening materials for all equipment and use a closed-loop system to recycle 200,000 gallons of water for cooling, minimizing environmental impact. San Jacinto city officials have indicated they will craft a restrictive special use permit that will govern virtually all aspects of the data center's operations, including noise limits, emissions monitoring, and requiring a bond. Green, however, views these forthcoming restrictions not as limitations but as accountability for practices the company already employs.