Imperial County to consider temporary moratorium on data center boom
Imperial County is considering a temporary moratorium on new data center approvals in its unincorporated areas due to concerns about impacts on land, water, and infrastructure. The Board of Supervisors will vote on an urgency interim ordinance and establish a data center advisory committee to develop policy recommendations.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on an urgency interim ordinance that would implement a temporary moratorium on new data center approvals within the county's unincorporated areas. The move, spearheaded by the county executive office led by Dr. Kathleen Lang, aims to allow the county to evaluate the high-resource demands of data centers and their impact on the desert region's land, water, and infrastructure.
Alongside the proposed 45-day freeze, the supervisors will also consider establishing a 19-member data center advisory committee. This committee, comprising local stakeholders including two supervisors, representatives from the seven incorporated cities, and various community and industry sectors, will be tasked with developing zoning and policy recommendations for managing the burgeoning data center sector. Their findings are expected to be presented to the Board of Supervisors by October 1, 2026.
Adopting the emergency ordinance requires a four-fifths vote of the Board, based on a finding of an immediate threat to public health, safety, or welfare. The ordinance broadly defines data centers to include associated infrastructure like backup generators, cooling systems, and substations. While this signals regulatory caution, other agenda items indicate the county is proceeding with community investments, including infrastructure upkeep and addressing existing litigation, such as 'City of Imperial v. County of Imperial, et al.', briefed by County Counsel Geoffrey P. Holbrook.