Pima County cites Project Blue subcontractor for air quality violation

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PCDEQ) served Ames Construction, a subcontractor for the Project Blue data center, with a Notice of Violation on May 13. The citation, which allows for daily fines up to $10,000, was issued after site inspections revealed Ames failed to implement proper dust mitigation practices, leading to visible dust emissions. PCDEQ mandated immediate compliance and requested Ames respond by May 17, ensuring water is available onsite for dust control. This air quality violation is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Project Blue. Most notably, the City of Tucson recently disconnected the data center site's water supply, alleging misuse by the subcontractor. The City of Tucson has openly expressed its desire to disassociate from the data center project, which has also encountered substantial public opposition.