Datacenter Buildbacks Escalate

Opposition to new data centers is spilling from local hearing rooms into statehouses, with one California critic arrested and Maine moving toward a temporary pause. (latimes.com) (businessinsider.com) In Imperial County, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on April 7 to approve a lot merger tied to a proposed data center complex near the city of Imperial, the only step county planners said was discretionary. Deputies removed multiple opponents from the meeting, and the Los Angeles Times reported that one speaker, Ismael Arvizu, 26, was later arrested. (kpbs.org) (latimes.com) County officials limited access to the El Centro hearing, citing fire-safety capacity, while armed sheriff’s deputies patrolled the chamber and at least three opponents were removed. The developer, Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, still needs water and electricity agreements before construction can begin. (kpbs.org) (calexicochronicle.com) A data center is a warehouse-sized building packed with computers that process internet traffic, cloud software, and artificial intelligence jobs. The newest artificial intelligence sites draw unusually large amounts of electricity and water, which is why local fights now center on power bills, grid reliability, land use, and cooling supplies. (businessinsider.com) (legislature.maine.gov) Maine lawmakers are advancing LD 307, a bill to create a state Artificial Intelligence Data Center Coordination Council, after testimony from utilities, environmental groups, and state agencies that said the state needs rules before large projects arrive. Legislative records show the bill was still moving through the 132nd Legislature in March, with competing amended versions under committee review. (legislature.maine.gov 1) (legislature.maine.gov 2) Supporters of the Maine measure said developers have already approached communities and utilities in the state. Versant Power told lawmakers it had received preliminary inquiries, and GrowSmart Maine said towns were being asked to weigh projects without clear state policy on electric load, water use, or local impacts. (legislature.maine.gov 1) (legislature.maine.gov 2) Backers of the Imperial County project say it would bring tax revenue and construction work. Laborers’ International Union of North America members filled much of the April 7 meeting in support, while nearby residents warned about air quality, water demand, and the effect of backup generators next to homes. (calexicochronicle.com) (kpbs.org) Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing has said it reduced the size of its planned backup generator system and would build a dirt embankment near neighboring homes. Chief executive Sebastian Rucci told KPBS after the vote that “there’s a lot of steps to go” before the project can proceed. (kpbs.org) Maine’s legislature is scheduled to adjourn by April 15, 2026, and the Imperial County project still needs utility and water approvals. The next fights over artificial intelligence infrastructure are likely to turn on those permits, not on whether communities have noticed the projects. (legislature.maine.gov) (kpbs.org)