[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":351},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fflorida-bill-to-make-ai-data-centers-cover-utilities-lands-as-kern-eyes-99mw-site":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":338,"dateModified":338,"description":339,"extension":13,"meta":340,"navigation":21,"path":341,"rawbody":342,"seo":343,"sitemap":344,"stem":345,"tags":346,"__hash__":350},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fflorida-bill-to-make-ai-data-centers-cover-utilities-lands-as-kern-eyes-99mw-site.md","Florida bill to make AI data centers cover utilities lands as Kern eyes 99MW site",false,"Sam Patel",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":331},[242,246,250,266,269,273,276,279,283,286,289,293,296,299,302,318,321,325],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"florida-bill-to-make-ai-data-centers-cover-utilities-lands-as-kern-eyes-99mw-site",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"Rep. Byron Donalds proposed a federal bill to require AI data centers to secure private power and water.",[254,258,259],{},"Florida’s governor signed a May law making large data centers pay full utility costs.",[254,261,262],{},"Kern County has a 99 MW data center application near Inyokern under state review.",[254,264,265],{},"Fresno-area high-speed rail officials discussed data center leases and promised public debate.",[66,267,268],{},"\"Trust me, it’s going to be a big issue,\" Henry Perea told the California High-Speed Rail board in late June, urging a fuller public airing on data centers. The warning came weeks before Florida congressman and governor candidate Byron Donalds said on July 20 that his new federal bill would keep artificial intelligence data centers from pushing up household utility bills. Why Central Valley readers should care sits in the power and water math for projects already on our doorstep.",[61,270,272],{"id":271},"what-donalds-proposed","What Donalds proposed",[66,274,275],{},"Donalds’ office told the Associated Press the proposal would require data centers to meet their electricity and water needs with private sources rather than the public grid or municipal systems. He framed it as a ratepayer shield and said companies are willing to shoulder those costs. Florida has already moved on a similar track. In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a state law that requires large centers to cover their full cost of service, including energy and water, and limits pass-throughs to residents.",[66,277,278],{},"The bill arrives as both parties court tech firms and as residents question where the power will come from. Big number, bigger footprint.",[61,280,282],{"id":281},"kern-countys-99-mw-test-case","Kern County’s 99 MW test case",[66,284,285],{},"Closer to home, applications filed with state regulators detail a 99 megawatt data center proposed near Inyokern in Kern County. Plans show an on‑site substation, a first phase of 60 MW, and backup diesel generation for emergencies. The location sits between US 395 and North Brown Road, with a tentative construction start in 2027. Supporters point to construction jobs and new tax base. Opponents ask about water for cooling, diesel emissions on bad air days, and whether nearby ratepayers could end up backstopping grid upgrades if a big load connects to public lines.",[66,287,288],{},"Kern County supervisors will face those questions if the project advances, and so will PG&E and local air regulators who own pieces of the review.",[61,290,292],{"id":291},"what-fresnos-rail-board-asked","What Fresno’s rail board asked",[66,294,295],{},"Fresno’s Perea pressed rail staff to run public workshops before the agency entertains data center leases along the bullet‑train corridor. The authority is exploring private partnerships to build out power and fiber, then possibly lease excess capacity. That could bring in revenue, but it also puts the agency inside a statewide fight over how to site high‑load facilities, who pays for interconnections, and whether to keep them near population centers.",[66,297,298],{},"Rate design for large customers is not just theory here. Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts, and PG&E territory across Fresno and Madera, already sort out cost‑of‑service questions when new industrial users ask to plug in. Officials will have to say on the record what happens if a hyperscale tenant knocks.",[66,300,301],{},"One small thing stuck with me, driving past the Inyokern turnoff last fall: the green 395 mile marker looked sun‑bleached.",[66,303,304],{},[305,306,307,308,311,312,317],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,309,310],{},"CVAI Newsdesk"," team and developed by ",[313,314,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":315},[316],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[319,320],"hr",{},[61,322,324],{"id":323},"source","Source",[66,326,327],{},[313,328,329],{"href":329,"rel":330},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftech-news\u002Fap-florida-gop-lawmaker-and-governor-candidate-says-ai-data-center-legislation-keeps-utility-costs-down\u002F",[316],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":332},[333,334,335,336,337],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":271,"depth":11,"text":272},{"id":281,"depth":11,"text":282},{"id":291,"depth":11,"text":292},{"id":323,"depth":11,"text":324},"2026-08-05","Rep. Byron Donalds pitched a federal plan to keep data center costs off ratepayers. Central Valley officials are weighing similar questions as Kern reviews a 99 MW project.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fflorida-bill-to-make-ai-data-centers-cover-utilities-lands-as-kern-eyes-99mw-site","---\nauthor: Sam Patel\ndate: '2026-08-05'\ndateModified: '2026-08-05'\ndescription: Rep. Byron Donalds pitched a federal plan to keep data center costs off\n  ratepayers. Central Valley officials are weighing similar questions as Kern reviews\n  a 99 MW project.\ntags:\n- policy\n- energy\n- central valley\ntitle: Florida bill to make AI data centers cover utilities lands as Kern eyes 99MW\n  site\n---\n\n# Florida bill to make AI data centers cover utilities lands as Kern eyes 99MW site\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. Rep. Byron Donalds proposed a federal bill to require AI data centers to secure private power and water.\n2. Florida’s governor signed a May law making large data centers pay full utility costs.\n3. Kern County has a 99 MW data center application near Inyokern under state review.\n4. Fresno-area high-speed rail officials discussed data center leases and promised public debate.\n\n\"Trust me, it’s going to be a big issue,\" Henry Perea told the California High-Speed Rail board in late June, urging a fuller public airing on data centers. The warning came weeks before Florida congressman and governor candidate Byron Donalds said on July 20 that his new federal bill would keep artificial intelligence data centers from pushing up household utility bills. Why Central Valley readers should care sits in the power and water math for projects already on our doorstep.\n\n## What Donalds proposed\n\nDonalds’ office told the Associated Press the proposal would require data centers to meet their electricity and water needs with private sources rather than the public grid or municipal systems. He framed it as a ratepayer shield and said companies are willing to shoulder those costs. Florida has already moved on a similar track. In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a state law that requires large centers to cover their full cost of service, including energy and water, and limits pass-throughs to residents.\n\nThe bill arrives as both parties court tech firms and as residents question where the power will come from. Big number, bigger footprint.\n\n## Kern County’s 99 MW test case\n\nCloser to home, applications filed with state regulators detail a 99 megawatt data center proposed near Inyokern in Kern County. Plans show an on‑site substation, a first phase of 60 MW, and backup diesel generation for emergencies. The location sits between US 395 and North Brown Road, with a tentative construction start in 2027. Supporters point to construction jobs and new tax base. Opponents ask about water for cooling, diesel emissions on bad air days, and whether nearby ratepayers could end up backstopping grid upgrades if a big load connects to public lines.\n\nKern County supervisors will face those questions if the project advances, and so will PG&E and local air regulators who own pieces of the review.\n\n## What Fresno’s rail board asked\n\nFresno’s Perea pressed rail staff to run public workshops before the agency entertains data center leases along the bullet‑train corridor. The authority is exploring private partnerships to build out power and fiber, then possibly lease excess capacity. That could bring in revenue, but it also puts the agency inside a statewide fight over how to site high‑load facilities, who pays for interconnections, and whether to keep them near population centers.\n\nRate design for large customers is not just theory here. Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts, and PG&E territory across Fresno and Madera, already sort out cost‑of‑service questions when new industrial users ask to plug in. Officials will have to say on the record what happens if a hyperscale tenant knocks.\n\nOne small thing stuck with me, driving past the Inyokern turnoff last fall: the green 395 mile marker looked sun‑bleached.\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.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftech-news\u002Fap-florida-gop-lawmaker-and-governor-candidate-says-ai-data-center-legislation-keeps-utility-costs-down\u002F\n",{"title":237,"description":339},{"loc":341},"news\u002Fflorida-bill-to-make-ai-data-centers-cover-utilities-lands-as-kern-eyes-99mw-site",[347,348,349],"policy","energy","central valley","os0fWJ6U66Uc4WkqXyiLpJE--mxcFL28ABgvOPrzKOI",1785890226400]