Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supports opposition to Pittsburg, California data center project
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has publicly supported local activists, including a teen, who are fighting a large AI data center project in Pittsburg, California. Despite concerns from residents about environmental impacts and noise, the Pittsburg City Council voted unanimously to approve the AVAIO Perseus Data Center, leading to ongoing opposition efforts.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has publicly backed teen activist Sadie Cisneros, amplifying local opposition to a 76-acre AI data center campus in Pittsburg, California. The project, known as AVAIO Perseus Data Center, has sparked a significant outcry from residents concerned about resource consumption, diesel exhaust, noise, and the creation of "heat islands" in their community.
Cisneros's testimony at a Pittsburg City Council hearing, where 400 opponents gathered to block the project, went viral, garnering millions of views. Ocasio-Cortez, a vocal critic of data centers who has called for a national moratorium, praised Cisneros's activism on Instagram, stating her actions have "real influence."
Despite the strong community opposition, the Pittsburg City Council voted 5-0 in 2024 to approve the Avaio Digital project. Pittsburg Mayor Juan Antonio Banales lauded the 99-megawatt facility, planned for a former municipal golf course, as a "major investment" that will create jobs. However, locals, like resident Carmen Magallan, express deep concern over potential impacts on their neighborhood and indicate they will continue to fight the development.
City officials have scheduled a virtual "community engagement workshop" for July 30, underscoring the ongoing nature of the dispute between the approved project and persistent local opposition.