Supervisors approve data center lot merge; deny Imperial’s appeal

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a lot merge for the proposed Imperial Valley Data Center, while simultaneously denying an appeal filed by the City of Imperial. The decision followed a four-hour hearing on March 26, 2026, which was marked by public outcry and procedural friction. The project, spearheaded by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, LLC (IVCM), involves consolidating five parcels and a portion of Leimgruber Road into a single 75.39-acre site for a 330-megawatt data center complex. This complex would feature a 950,000-square-foot main building, a dedicated electrical substation, and a massive battery energy storage system. The City of Imperial and numerous residents opposed the merger, alleging that the project bypassed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements and raised significant concerns about air pollution from 132 natural gas backup generators, noise, potential odors from an on-site wastewater treatment plant, and increased water and electricity demands on the Imperial Irrigation District. Despite the strong opposition, which included protests, calls for a county-wide moratorium, and threats of recall against supervisors, union representatives and Tim Kelley, CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation, spoke in favor of the project, highlighting its potential for economic prosperity and job creation. Supervisors, including Ryan Kelley and John Hawk, acknowledged the community's emotional concerns but ultimately voted to approve the lot merge, clarifying that this approval was a ministerial step and not a full project endorsement, with further county processes and hurdles still ahead for the data center development. The core legal debate revolved around whether the project was “ministerial” and thus exempt from CEQA, as argued by county planning staff, or “discretionary,” which would necessitate a rigorous environmental review. The Board's decision effectively affirmed the project's ability to move forward through the initial lot merger phase.