SGV communities react to Monterey Park AI data center vote
Monterey Park voters overwhelmingly approved Measure NDC, permanently banning data centers within city limits. This decision has spurred residents in nearby San Gabriel Valley communities, particularly the City of Industry, to organize against proposed AI infrastructure projects. Concerns revolve around potential strain on water and electricity resources.
Voters in Monterey Park, California, overwhelmingly approved Measure NDC, a ballot initiative that enacts a permanent ban on data centers within city limits. With over 86% in favor, Monterey Park became the first city in the nation to pass a voter-approved permanent ban on such facilities.
This decisive vote is generating momentum for residents in neighboring San Gabriel Valley communities, including unincorporated Avocado Heights, Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, Pomona, Diamond Bar, and La Puente. Community organizer Samuel Brown Vasquez, a resident of Avocado Heights, sees Monterey Park's victory as a blueprint for opposition against proposed data centers and battery energy storage facilities in the nearby City of Industry. Brown Vasquez and other residents express concerns about the strain these facilities could place on local resources, particularly water and electricity, citing previous drought restrictions.
Environmental attorney Vineet Dubey notes that public opposition is growing as communities become more aware of the resource demands of data centers, which power AI systems. The focus of the local opposition is currently on the City of Industry, a municipality with a small residential population but thousands of businesses, where decisions can significantly impact surrounding communities. One major point of contention is a redevelopment proposal for the Puente Hills Mall, which includes a data center component and requires city approvals and environmental review.
The debate over AI infrastructure is not confined to the San Gabriel Valley; city leaders in Coachella, California, recently enacted a temporary moratorium on new data centers to study their potential impacts. While technology companies like Google acknowledge these concerns and claim efforts to reduce water consumption and invest in electrical infrastructure, opponents like Brown Vasquez argue these assurances do not resolve the fundamental questions communities have about resource consumption and local control.