Supervisors back state bills regulating data centers
San Diego County supervisors unanimously voted to support two state bills aimed at regulating large-scale data centers. The proposed legislation would require data centers to cover infrastructure costs, undergo environmental reviews, and meet enhanced energy and water standards. This action comes amid growing concerns from residents about the massive utility and water consumption by such facilities.
San Diego County supervisors unanimously backed two state bills, Senate Bill 886 and 887, on August 18, which aim to regulate large-scale data centers. The bills would mandate that data centers bear the costs of transmission and grid infrastructure, undergo California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews, and create permitting incentives for projects meeting enhanced clean energy, water, and infrastructure standards. This decision by the Board of Supervisors was made following a heated meeting where residents expressed significant concern over data centers' contribution to exploding utility costs and their massive consumption of water and electricity.
Supervisor Jim Desmond had earlier requested a study on data centers' impacts on electricity rates, water usage, fire risk, noise, and infrastructure, with a report expected soon. Supervisor and Chairwoman Terra Lawson-Remer brought the item forward, emphasizing the lack of specific safeguards in San Diego County to protect ratepayers and water supplies. While no data center has been proposed in San Diego County, the supervisors cited a proposed $10 billion, 950,000-square-foot hyperscale facility by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing (ICVM), LLC in Imperial County as an example of the scale of projects that could emerge, noting its power demand would nearly double Imperial County's total electricity usage.