Imperial County’s data center moratorium will last one year
Imperial County supervisors unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, extending a previous 45-day ban. This decision allows an advisory board time to develop new zoning and building policies for future data centers, addressing public health, energy, and water concerns. Developer Sebastian Rucci, whose project is impacted, has filed a lawsuit challenging the county's action.
Imperial County supervisors unanimously approved a one-year extension of a moratorium on new data center construction, following an initial 45-day ban enacted last month. The urgency ordinance, passed on Tuesday, prohibits the issuance of permits for new data center projects for 365 days, aiming to allow a newly appointed advisory board sufficient time to develop and recommend new zoning and building policies by January 2027. This action stems from public health concerns and the significant energy and water resources required by data center operations.
The extended moratorium directly affects developer Sebastian Rucci's proposed massive AI data center project. Rucci had previously filed a lawsuit challenging the county's initial 45-day moratorium and expressed disappointment with the extension, vowing to challenge the new action in court to protect his development rights. The Board of Supervisors also appointed several representatives to the new advisory board, including one from the Imperial Irrigation District, the county's primary utility provider, to provide expertise on future data center regulations within the county.