Patterson weighs nearly yearlong pause on new data center projects
The Patterson City Council in California is considering extending a 45-day moratorium on new data center projects for nearly a year. This pause is intended to allow the city to assess the potential impacts on land, water, power, noise, and air quality, and to develop new regulations.
The Patterson City Council in California is preparing for a significant vote to potentially extend a temporary moratorium on new data center projects for over ten months, pushing the pause until July of next year. This follows an initial 45-day moratorium enacted last month, as the city aims to thoroughly investigate the potential impacts of large data centers on power, noise, air quality, and particularly, water resources.
Longtime Patterson resident and business owner Linda Mendoza expressed significant concerns about the community's lack of awareness regarding data center developments and the potential strain on the city's already challenged groundwater supply. Residents emphasized the need for transparency and new protective measures before any further projects advance. The city stated that current rules do not adequately address the comprehensive impacts and that an extended moratorium would allow time to draft new regulations governing data center locations and resource management. Patterson is not unique in this regard, as other California communities like Monterey Park (which approved a permanent ban), Tulare and Imperial Counties, Visalia, San Jose, and Modesto are also considering or facing calls for similar restrictions.