Datacenter meeting arrest

A 26-year-old Imperial County resident who opposed a proposed data center was arrested after speaking at a county board meeting on April 7. (aol.com) Ismael Arvizu said sheriff’s deputies removed him after he cheered during public comment, then arrested him outside the chambers. He said he was booked on trespassing, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and threatening a public official charges. (aol.com) The same day, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a lot merger tied to the project. Supervisor Martha Cardenas Singh cast the lone no vote. (kpbs.org, calexicochronicle.com) The project comes from Huntington Beach-based Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing and would total about 950,000 square feet near the city of Imperial. KPBS reported it could rank among the largest data centers in the United States. (aol.com, kpbs.org) Data centers are warehouse-like buildings full of servers that store data and run cloud and artificial intelligence systems. The Imperial County proposal also includes an on-site substation, a large battery system and natural gas backup generators. (kpbs.org, datacenterdynamics.com) Opponents have focused on electricity, water and air pollution in a county that already deals with environmental burdens. Supporters, including Laborers’ International Union of America members who filled much of the room on April 7, said the project would bring jobs and tax revenue. (kpbs.org, calexicochronicle.com, ourimperialvalley.com) The county treated the project as exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act, the state’s main environmental law. That exemption has become a central dispute for residents and for the nearby city of Imperial, which challenged the approvals in court. (aol.com, calexicochronicle.com, thedesertreview.com) The April 7 hearing was tightly controlled before the arrest. KPBS reported that county officials limited entry to the building citing fire safety concerns, and local television and newspaper reports said multiple opponents were removed as supporters occupied most seats. (kpbs.org, kesq.com, calexicochronicle.com) The lot merger did not finish the project. County and local news reports said Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing still needs water and power agreements, including arrangements with the Imperial Irrigation District, before the facility can operate. (kpbs.org, calexicochronicle.com, imperialdatacenter.com) The fight is also feeding into a broader Sacramento debate over who pays when artificial intelligence computing pushes up demand for power and water. California enacted Senate Bill 57 in 2025 to study utility bill impacts, and lawmakers this year are considering new bills on data center environmental review and water use. (sd18.senate.ca.gov, inewsource.org, calmatters.org) For now, the most visible flashpoint is still that county meeting in El Centro. The criminal case against Arvizu has been sent to the Imperial County district attorney for review, according to the sheriff’s office. (aol.com, board.imperialcounty.org)