Gilcrease Calls For Dialogue On Data Center
Newly elected Kings County Supervisor Garrett Gilcrease plans to engage with NAS Lemoore and Ameresco, the developer of a proposed 600,000 square foot data center on federal land. Gilcrease, who previously opposed the project due to water scarcity concerns, is calling for more transparency and public input regarding its water source. The project faces local opposition due to significant water demands in an area already grappling with state-mandated groundwater probation.
Newly elected Kings County Board of Supervisors member Garrett Gilcrease is seeking dialogue with Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore and Ameresco, the developer of a proposed 600,000 square foot data center on federal land within the county. Gilcrease, who will take his District 1 seat in January after winning with over 51% of the vote, had campaigned on an platform opposing the data center, primarily due to concerns over water issues. He specifically cited the lack of disclosure regarding the project's water source as a major transparency problem.
Gilcrease, who is also the president of the Kings County Farm Bureau and whose family has farmed in the area since the 1880s, highlighted the existing water scarcity in the region. This area is already subject to state-mandated groundwater probation, and local water delivery infrastructure is affected by debates over Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGMA) policies and subsidence. He argues that the millions of gallons of water per day required for a hyperscale data center could create perceived competition with agricultural needs.
Despite acknowledging the project's location on federal land, which limits county jurisdiction, Gilcrease emphasized the historical cooperation between the base and the local community. His call for increased transparency and public input reflects growing local opposition to data center developments, a sentiment echoed by a recent Gallup poll indicating widespread public concern over data center water usage.