San Gabriel Valley Residents Oppose Data Center Plans in City of Industry
San Gabriel Valley residents and community groups are opposing proposed data centers, especially a planned 10-megawatt facility at the Puente Hills Mall site in the City of Industry. The City of Industry City Council voted to change zoning rules to allow data centers and battery storage systems broadly, while officials say no data center project has been approved and Raeden Inc. is no longer actively pursuing its proposed site.
Residents and community organizations across the San Gabriel Valley are organizing against proposed data centers over concerns about air quality, noise, electricity costs, water use and other environmental impacts. Their focus has shifted to the City of Industry, where a proposed development at the Puente Hills Mall site would include a 10-megawatt data center alongside warehouses and a transit station.
The City of Industry’s small residential population and limited accountability have made it difficult for neighboring communities to influence decisions, activists said. In February, the City Council voted to change zoning laws to allow data centers and battery energy storage systems virtually throughout the city, despite stating that no data center plans have been approved. Public records show officials discussed possible sites and power infrastructure with developers, while Raeden Inc. said it is no longer pursuing a project there.
The article also highlights regional opposition victories, including Monterey Park’s voter-approved data center ban and temporary moratoriums adopted in El Monte, Montebello and Baldwin Park. Activist Samuel Brown-Vázquez said residents in surrounding unincorporated areas would bear the health and environmental consequences without meaningful recourse, and said he has filed multiple alleged Brown Act violations against the City of Industry.