Judge dismisses lawsuit against Pima County over Project Blue rezoning

Pima County Superior Court Judge Brenden Griffin has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the No Desert Data Center Coalition against Pima County and its Planning and Zoning Commission. The lawsuit sought to invalidate the rezoning approval for 'Project Blue,' a proposed data center located outside of Tucson, Arizona. Plaintiffs argued that the county had deceived the public and violated state open meeting laws. Judge Griffin ruled that Pima County did not violate open meeting laws, despite the Planning and Zoning Commission's staff not fully disclosing the purpose of the rezoning in its agenda. This decision allows the county's rezoning for the data center project to stand. The Project Blue data center has been a point of contention in the region, particularly due to concerns over its significant water usage. While the lawsuit against the county's rezoning was dismissed, related efforts by Tucson city leaders, including Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council, have aimed to regulate data centers and previously voted to block Project Blue, citing intense public backlash over water needs.