Coachella Shelves Proposed Data Center, Enacts Moratorium on Projects
The Coachella City Council unanimously approved an urgency ordinance imposing a 45-day moratorium on data center applications and terminated its agreement with Stronghold Power Systems Inc. This decision follows months of community protests citing environmental, health, and electricity rate concerns. City staff are now expected to propose a permanent ban on data centers.
The Coachella City Council unanimously enacted an urgency ordinance, imposing a 45-day moratorium on all data center applications within the city. Concurrently, the council terminated a development agreement with Stronghold Power Systems Inc. and its affiliate, Coachella Valley Power Services LLC, which had planned to construct the Coachella Valley Technology Campus on 240 acres of agricultural land.
This decision came after months of protests from community members across the Coachella Valley, who raised concerns about potential environmental and health impacts, as well as the risk of higher electricity rates. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Coachella, commended the city's actions and stated his intention to send formal letters to the EPA and Department of Energy, advocating for federal protections against data center impacts. Stronghold Power Systems expressed disappointment regarding the termination of their agreement. City staff are now tasked with returning to the council with a proposal for a permanent ban on data centers.