Imperial council to vote on data center moratorium June 3

The Imperial City Council has scheduled a vote on a data center moratorium for its regular meeting on June 3, following a unanimous decision to put the measure to a vote during its May 20 meeting. This action comes after several Imperial residents voiced their approval for the moratorium during public comments, emphasizing the need for responsible governance and thorough evaluation of data center projects.

Gina Snow described the moratorium as "the next proactive step," arguing it provides necessary time to assess the true implications of such projects through policy, planning, environmental review, and public process, rather than through rushed approvals. Resident Bob Diaz raised concerns about emergency procedures in the event of a data center disaster, highlighting potential health risks.

Belen Donato, who is involved in an effort to recall District 3 Supervisor Peggy Price over data center issues, noted that the Imperial Unified School District had also expressed concerns about a proposed data center's location near schools. Donato particularly emphasized the substantial risk posed by the large-scale storage of lithium batteries, which are integral to data center projects. She referenced a past incident in Monterey County, California, where a lithium-ion battery storage plant fire burned for multiple days, necessitating evacuations and school closures, and warned of similar devastating consequences for Imperial County, including severe air, water, and soil toxicity. Donato advocated for a moratorium as a means to prevent such a potential disaster.

Mayor Ida Obeso-Martinez and Councilmembers Katie Burnworth, Robert Amparano, and James Tucker all supported the motion to bring the data center moratorium to a vote, which subsequently passed unanimously.