Tulare County Residents Continue To Oppose Proposed Data Center
Tulare County residents continue to voice strong opposition to a proposed data center by Global Stack LLC at the Tulare County Fairgrounds, citing concerns about health risks and excessive water usage. The Tulare County 24th District Agricultural Association (DAA) board has approved a non-binding MOU but tabled the lease agreement, promising a presentation from Global Stack in January. Residents have urged the DAA to consider a moratorium similar to one enacted by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.
Residents of Tulare County are actively opposing a proposed data center development by Global Stack LLC at the Tulare County Fairgrounds, with ongoing public comments at monthly meetings of the Tulare County 24th District Agricultural Association (DAA). During the August 18 meeting, community members expressed health concerns, misinterpreting data centers as sources of "nuclear power" and raising alarms about water consumption, referencing a report that a medium-sized data center can use 110 million gallons of water annually.
DAA board president Gary Castro clarified that a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Global Stack LLC is non-binding and that the board is in a "fact-finding and feasibility phase," having not yet approved any project or authorized construction. Previously, in April, the board approved the MOU presentation but tabled the lease agreement for the project. Global Stack LLC is reportedly pursuing similar proposals across 70 California Fairgrounds, aiming to have them operational by 2030, touting the facilities as "emergency resilience centers."
Opponents, including Porterville resident Jordan, question the transparency and language used by Global Stack and the DAA, pointing out inconsistencies in how the project is described and the removal of past meeting agendas from the website. They also urged the DAA to follow the precedent of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, which imposed a 45-day temporary ordinance on another data center development. A spokesperson for the DAA announced that Global Stack LLC is scheduled to present more information in January.