Pittsburg residents voice frustration over approved data center
Residents in Pittsburg, California, are vocally opposing a data center project previously approved in 2024, raising concerns about environmental impacts, resource strain, and a perceived lack of transparency from city officials. Despite a prior lawsuit against the city being dismissed after an agreement on environmental protection measures, residents are now calling for a moratorium on future phases of data center development.
Hundreds of residents in Pittsburg, California, packed city hall on Monday night to voice their opposition to a data center project that was approved in 2024, expressing frustration over what they claim was a lack of transparency and public involvement in the decision-making process. Concerns were raised regarding potential environmental impacts, resource constraints, and the economic benefits the project would provide.
The project, developed by AVAIO Digital, is the first of a three-phase development within Pittsburg Technology Park. City officials stated that extensive research and multiple community meetings were conducted prior to the project's approval in late 2024, following its introduction in 2018. However, resident Amhari Perkins, who initiated an online petition with over 14,200 signatures, highlighted that many residents only recently became aware of the approved data center.
The city faced a lawsuit in 2024 from the Center for Biological Diversity, which alleged that Pittsburg approved the project without adequately considering its environmental effects, including greenhouse gas emissions and water usage. This lawsuit was later dismissed after an agreement was reached between the city and developers, mandating environmental protection measures such as 100% renewable energy, recycled water for cooling, and biological surveys.
Residents also called for a two-year moratorium on future data center development, similar to one enacted in Oakley, a neighboring Bay Area city. They questioned the 99-megawatt facility's potential strain on local infrastructure, its high water consumption in a drought-prone state, limited job creation, and noise impacts on nearby homes and schools. Vice Mayor Angelica Lopez defended the city's approval, noting that data centers are not new, but attributed current public 'panic' to concerns over unregulated AI data centers elsewhere. City officials clarified that the developer will cover infrastructure upgrades and that the project's energy and water demands will not lead to increased utility rates for residents. The city plans to hold a workshop to allow for further public engagement on data center development.