[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":354},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fai-data-center-proposed-on-100-acres-at-elk-hills-west-of-taft":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":342,"dateModified":342,"description":343,"extension":13,"meta":344,"navigation":21,"path":345,"rawbody":346,"seo":347,"sitemap":348,"stem":349,"tags":350,"__hash__":353},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fai-data-center-proposed-on-100-acres-at-elk-hills-west-of-taft.md","AI data center proposed on 100 acres at Elk Hills west of Taft",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":334},[242,246,250,269,272,275,279,282,286,289,293,296,300,303,306,321,324,328],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"ai-data-center-proposed-on-100-acres-at-elk-hills-west-of-taft",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263,266],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"California Resources Corporation proposed the Golden Valley Technology Hub near Elk Hills on 100 acres of former oilfield land.",[254,258,259],{},"Plans call for a 400,000-square-foot data center plus a substation and office space.",[254,261,262],{},"Developers say the project would draw from an existing on-site power plant instead of the grid.",[254,264,265],{},"Cooling would run on a closed-loop system designed to recirculate water.",[254,267,268],{},"The plan is still in the proposal stage and faces additional reviews and approvals.",[66,270,271],{},"The open land west of Taft could swing to servers. California Resources Corporation’s Chris Gould, the company’s chief sustainability officer, said the Golden Valley Technology Hub would turn about 100 acres at Elk Hills into a facility built for artificial intelligence and cloud work. \"It’s a tremendous opportunity for economic development in Kern County,\" he said.",[66,273,274],{},"It was 86 degrees in Taft on Sunday.",[61,276,278],{"id":277},"what-is-planned","What is planned",[66,280,281],{},"Gould told 23ABC the concept covers roughly 400,000 square feet of buildings, including the main data hall, an electrical substation, office space, and parking. The site sits on former oilfield land near Elk Hills, about 20 miles west of Bakersfield. Still a proposal.",[61,283,285],{"id":284},"power-and-water","Power and water",[66,287,288],{},"Neighbors have asked about strain on Kern County’s grid and water supplies. CRC says the data center wouldn’t tap the grid for primary power, pointing instead to an on-site plant at Elk Hills the company calls underused. For cooling, developers say they’ll run a closed-loop system that recirculates water to cut consumption. The project’s website also names Beacon Data Centers as a partner and says developers will cover associated power infrastructure on site.",[61,290,292],{"id":291},"what-residents-said","What residents said",[66,294,295],{},"Taft resident Emmanuel Campos said he walked in wary and left more open after community meetings. He pointed to other regions that landed similar projects, arguing Kern can do the same with its energy base and workforce. This remains a bet on private capital and county approvals, and he knows that, but he called it \"our opportunity.\"",[61,297,299],{"id":298},"what-we-dont-know-yet","What we don’t know yet",[66,301,302],{},"CRC didn’t share a construction timeline or job count in the station’s report. Company officials say the project must clear more reviews and secure regulatory approvals before any dirt work starts. County staff haven’t posted a hearing date. Questions about transmission upgrades, fiber routes, and noise controls will follow if the application advances to the supervisors. A thin layer of dust usually sits on the Elk Hills access gates by late afternoon.",[66,304,305],{},"The site today is quiet. \"It’s a tremendous opportunity,\" Gould said, \"but there’s a process.\"",[66,307,308],{},[309,310,311,312,314,315,320],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,313,239],{}," team and developed by ",[316,317,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":318},[319],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[322,323],"hr",{},[61,325,327],{"id":326},"source","Source",[66,329,330],{},[316,331,332],{"href":332,"rel":333},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.turnto23.com\u002Fnews\u002Fin-your-neighborhood\u002Ftaft-maricopa\u002Fmassive-ai-data-center-proposed-for-kern-countys-elk-hills",[319],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":335},[336,337,338,339,340,341],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":277,"depth":11,"text":278},{"id":284,"depth":11,"text":285},{"id":291,"depth":11,"text":292},{"id":298,"depth":11,"text":299},{"id":326,"depth":11,"text":327},"2026-06-28","CRC’s Golden Valley Technology Hub would bring a 400,000-square-foot data center to former oilfield land near Taft, with on-site power and recycled cooling water.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fai-data-center-proposed-on-100-acres-at-elk-hills-west-of-taft","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: 2026-06-28\ndateModified: '2026-06-28'\ndescription: CRC’s Golden Valley Technology Hub would bring a 400,000-square-foot\n  data center to former oilfield land near Taft, with on-site power and recycled cooling\n  water.\ntags:\n- bakersfield\n- business\n- infrastructure\ntitle: AI data center proposed on 100 acres at Elk Hills west of Taft\n---\n\n# AI data center proposed on 100 acres at Elk Hills west of Taft\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. California Resources Corporation proposed the Golden Valley Technology Hub near Elk Hills on 100 acres of former oilfield land.\n2. Plans call for a 400,000-square-foot data center plus a substation and office space.\n3. Developers say the project would draw from an existing on-site power plant instead of the grid.\n4. Cooling would run on a closed-loop system designed to recirculate water.\n5. The plan is still in the proposal stage and faces additional reviews and approvals.\n\nThe open land west of Taft could swing to servers. California Resources Corporation’s Chris Gould, the company’s chief sustainability officer, said the Golden Valley Technology Hub would turn about 100 acres at Elk Hills into a facility built for artificial intelligence and cloud work. \"It’s a tremendous opportunity for economic development in Kern County,\" he said.\n\nIt was 86 degrees in Taft on Sunday. \n\n## What is planned\n\nGould told 23ABC the concept covers roughly 400,000 square feet of buildings, including the main data hall, an electrical substation, office space, and parking. The site sits on former oilfield land near Elk Hills, about 20 miles west of Bakersfield. Still a proposal.\n\n## Power and water\n\nNeighbors have asked about strain on Kern County’s grid and water supplies. CRC says the data center wouldn’t tap the grid for primary power, pointing instead to an on-site plant at Elk Hills the company calls underused. For cooling, developers say they’ll run a closed-loop system that recirculates water to cut consumption. The project’s website also names Beacon Data Centers as a partner and says developers will cover associated power infrastructure on site.\n\n## What residents said\n\nTaft resident Emmanuel Campos said he walked in wary and left more open after community meetings. He pointed to other regions that landed similar projects, arguing Kern can do the same with its energy base and workforce. This remains a bet on private capital and county approvals, and he knows that, but he called it \"our opportunity.\"\n\n## What we don’t know yet\n\nCRC didn’t share a construction timeline or job count in the station’s report. Company officials say the project must clear more reviews and secure regulatory approvals before any dirt work starts. County staff haven’t posted a hearing date. Questions about transmission upgrades, fiber routes, and noise controls will follow if the application advances to the supervisors. A thin layer of dust usually sits on the Elk Hills access gates by late afternoon.\n\nThe site today is quiet. \"It’s a tremendous opportunity,\" Gould said, \"but there’s a process.\"\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.turnto23.com\u002Fnews\u002Fin-your-neighborhood\u002Ftaft-maricopa\u002Fmassive-ai-data-center-proposed-for-kern-countys-elk-hills\n",{"title":237,"description":343},{"loc":345},"news\u002Fai-data-center-proposed-on-100-acres-at-elk-hills-west-of-taft",[83,351,352],"business","infrastructure","-eFHlpf-JrBl96vQrg8awDUfzABX0BVrYUryx23lb_0",1783395175338]