After months of public pressure, Imperial County passes temporary moratorium on data centers
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new data center projects following months of public pressure over environmental concerns. The decision temporarily halts development and allows a special committee to study land use and zoning for data centers. Sebastian Rucci, the developer of a proposed large data center, plans to challenge the moratorium in court.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors has unanimously enacted a 45-day moratorium on all data center projects within the county. This decision, made on Tuesday, temporarily halts approvals for new developments and comes after significant public opposition to a proposed massive data center complex.
Residents, environmental advocates, and local officials expressed concerns that the planned data center could consume more power than the entire county's 2024 usage and require 750,000 gallons of water daily, potentially straining the local power grid and water supply, and contributing to air pollution.
Supervisor Martha Cardenas-Singh emphasized the need for comprehensive public review and discretionary oversight for such large-scale facilities, noting that developers had potentially planned projects to circumvent in-depth environmental analyses. In response to the county's action, Sebastian Rucci, the developer behind the controversial project, stated his intention to challenge the moratorium in court. The Board also established a special committee to study land use and zoning regulations for data centers, with a report due in January.