Tulare County extends data center moratorium after protest at board meeting
A woman was removed from a Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting in Visalia, California, during a protest against AI data centers. The board subsequently voted unanimously to extend a moratorium on new data center projects in unincorporated areas for over 10 months. This action follows public backlash against a proposed Global Stack data center at the Tulare County Fairgrounds.
A contentious meeting of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors in Visalia, California, saw a woman escorted out by police after she disrupted proceedings to protest AI data centers. The incident occurred as the board discussed data center development following significant public opposition.
The supervisors unanimously voted 5-0 to extend a moratorium on all new data center projects in unincorporated areas of the county for an additional 10 months and 15 days. This extension aims to provide the county with more time to deliberate and establish future regulations for such facilities. The initial 45-day moratorium was enacted in July, prompted by strong community pushback against a proposal from Global Stack.
Global Stack had sought a 100-year lease for two to five acres at the Tulare County Fairgrounds for a data center project. The company has also pitched similar proposals for fairgrounds in other California counties, identifying them as underused public lands with revenue potential. Joe Delgado of Power California criticized the county's focus on profitable projects amidst a cost-of-living crisis for residents. The local debate aligns with a broader national sentiment, as a recent poll by The Economist and YouGov indicated that nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose new data center construction in their communities.