Data center town hall 4.13

Data center opponents gathered in El Centro for a town hall meeting following the Imperial County Board of Supervisors' vote to approve a lot merger for a proposed data center site in the city of Imperial. At the event, attendees were urged to sign a recall petition for District 3 supervisor Peggy Price and District 4 supervisor Ryan Kelley, labeled as "data center enablers," due to their perceived support for the project. Organizers, including Michelle Hollinger of Victoria Homes, also promoted a ballot measure petition for a Data Center Prohibition Act, aiming to ban large-scale data centers in unincorporated Imperial County and place it on the November 2026 ballot. Community members voiced concerns regarding the data center's potential impact on water and energy resources, with IID Director Karin Eugenio stating that the decision would "shape the future of this Valley for generations." Imperial City Manager Dennis Morita provided an update on the city's ongoing litigation against the developer, noting a May 15 deadline for an amended petition. He also revealed that the developer had filed a federal lawsuit against the city and individual city officials, with a motion to dismiss currently pending.