San Joaquin County approves 45-day data center moratorium

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved a 45-day moratorium on new large-scale data center development in the county’s unincorporated areas. The pause does not apply to incorporated cities such as Tracy and Manteca, which retain their own land-use authority, or to telecommunications, government emergency communications and public utility facilities.

Supervisors said the moratorium will give the county time to examine community concerns about power use, grid reliability, water supplies, noise emissions, agriculture, public infrastructure and emergency response. The county has no data center applications currently pending, and officials expect a broader study to take about six months. Supervisor Rickman also proposed an ad hoc committee of community members and experts, while supervisors may later consider extending the moratorium.