OPINION: Pushback begins against a proposed data center in Boulder City. Is it too late?

Boulder City, Nevada, faces a growing public outcry against the proposed 170-megawatt Townsite Solar 2 artificial intelligence (AI) data center. The project, planned for 88.5 acres of city-owned land, has alarmed residents who fear it will consume over 600,000 gallons of effluent daily from the city's wastewater treatment facility and potentially strain the local power grid, exacerbating environmental concerns such as record heat and the receding Lake Mead. Longtime resident Fred Voltz, along with other opponents like Brynn deLorimier and Branden Smith, have voiced strong criticisms, accusing the city council of pushing the project forward despite potentially grave environmental impacts and ignoring residents. A signature-gathering effort has collected over 1,400 names, and opponents have spoken at city council meetings and to news reporters. In response to public sentiment, the city has placed a question on the November ballot to gauge voter willingness to allow data centers in the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area. However, critics like Voltz contend that the specific Townsite Solar 2 project's land may be exempted from this vote. Despite official statements that the project is in a "very preliminary stage," it is on the agenda for an upcoming city planning commission meeting and is reportedly scheduled to break ground later this year, with operations potentially starting by 2027.