San Jose Residents Criticize Draft Data Center Standards and Call for Temporary Moratorium
San Jose officials presented draft development standards for future data centers, including requirements for renewable or carbon-neutral electricity, recycled or closed-loop cooling systems, emissions controls and monitoring. Residents and environmental advocates said the standards are too weak and called for a temporary moratorium until stronger protections are adopted, while the City Council is expected to finalize the rules in December.
San Jose officials presented draft standards for future data center projects at a City Hall meeting that drew a packed audience and nearly two hours of public comment. The proposal would prohibit open-loop cooling systems that use drinking water, require recycled water or closed-loop systems, impose limits on backup-generator operation and emissions, and require reporting on water, electricity and discharge monitoring. Developers would be encouraged to use San Jose Clean Energy or document carbon-neutral electricity, with independent audits every five years.
Environmental advocates, including Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter conservation coordinator Dashiel Leeds, Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley co-founder Linda Hutchins-Knowles and Green Foothills policy director Alice Kaufman, argued that the standards lack enforceable protections for heat, noise, pollution, water quality and nearby open space. Speakers urged the city to pause data center approvals and give the City Council greater authority over individual projects, but Deputy City Manager Manuel Pineda said the city is not currently considering zoning changes. Two data centers are expected to be approved before the standards are finalized, and the council is expected to act in December.