Mysterious data center inquiry appears near Mount Shasta
A preliminary inquiry about building a data center at a former bottling plant near Mount Shasta, California, has caused significant community uproar due to fears of water depletion and environmental impact. City and county officials insist no formal proposal exists and the inquiry was preliminary, but residents remain distressed and have made threats against city staff. The Mount Shasta City Council is expected to discuss the situation further at an upcoming meeting.
Residents of Mount Shasta, California, are in an uproar following a preliminary inquiry about building a data center at a vacant Crystal Geyser water bottling facility in Siskiyou County. The prospect, mentioned during a recent city council meeting, sparked widespread community opposition, including an online petition with over 15,000 signatures and threats against city officials. Locals expressed significant concerns about the potential data center's high water consumption and its impact on the rural community's natural landscape.
City Manager Todd Juhasz initially mentioned the anonymous inquiry, which came from a commercial real estate broker, during a city council meeting. Mayor Casey Glaubman and Council Member Tessa Clure, along with Siskiyou County Supervisor Ed Valenzuela, have since attempted to quell public fears, emphasizing that no formal proposal for a data center exists. They stated that the city council and county board are not actively considering such a project and that the inquiry was not from major tech companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Meta.
Despite officials' assurances that a data center is unlikely, misinformation spread on social media, leading to public distress and threats directed at city council members and staff. Mount Shasta Police Chief Robert Gibson denounced the threats, reminding residents that such actions could lead to legal consequences. The former bottling plant site, which is outside Mount Shasta city limits but within Siskiyou County, would ultimately fall under the county board's jurisdiction if a serious proposal were to emerge, though the city has explored annexing the site.
Both city and county officials reiterated their preference for an environmentally friendly use for the vacant property. The Mount Shasta City Council is scheduled to discuss the issue again at a meeting on July 13.