[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":359},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fimperial-county-ai-data-center-plan-faces-ceqa-fight-330-mw-power-need":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":346,"dateModified":346,"description":347,"extension":13,"meta":348,"navigation":21,"path":349,"rawbody":350,"seo":351,"sitemap":352,"stem":353,"tags":354,"__hash__":358},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fimperial-county-ai-data-center-plan-faces-ceqa-fight-330-mw-power-need.md","Imperial County AI data center plan faces CEQA fight, 330 MW power need",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":339},[242,246,250,269,272,275,279,282,285,288,292,295,298,302,305,308,311,326,329,333],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"imperial-county-ai-data-center-plan-faces-ceqa-fight-330-mw-power-need",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263,266],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"Lawyer Sebastian Rucci proposes a 330‑megawatt, 1 million‑square‑foot AI data center near Imperial.",[254,258,259],{},"The city seeks CEQA review, while the county issued a grading permit and is weighing a lot‑merger appeal.",[254,261,262],{},"The project would use 750,000 gallons of reclaimed water daily, with no final water or power deals.",[254,264,265],{},"Rucci touts 2,500–3,500 construction jobs and 100–200 permanent jobs; a county consultant estimates 1,600–1,700 construction jobs.",[254,267,268],{},"PG&E says data center interconnections in its territory top 10% of California’s total generation, which includes much of the Valley.",[66,270,271],{},"A stack of yellow speaker cards curled at the edges on the supervisors’ dais. Residents filled two rooms, then spilled outside as chants of \"Fuera!\" bled through the doors. The room was loud.",[66,273,274],{},"The fight in Imperial County matters up Highway 99 because the same questions about power, water and whether CEQA must apply will land in Valley boardrooms too. PG&E’s interconnection queue already includes loads that affect Fresno and Stanislaus counties, and large parcels near high‑voltage lines exist here.",[61,276,278],{"id":277},"what-the-plan-includes","What the plan includes",[66,280,281],{},"Developer and attorney Sebastian Rucci wants to build a nearly 1 million‑square‑foot \"hyperscale\" facility on county land off Aten Road, less than a mile from neighborhoods. He describes a 330‑megawatt operation with natural gas backup and an estimated need for 750,000 gallons of reclaimed water per day. He has floated sourcing up to 6 million gallons per day of treated wastewater from Imperial and El Centro, using a fraction to cool the site and routing the rest toward the Salton Sea.",[66,283,284],{},"Imperial Irrigation District officials say there’s no agreement in place, and the project remains in study. El Centro issued a conditional letter last fall that was not a final water service agreement, while the city of Imperial hasn’t committed to provide reclaimed water. Rucci says upgrades would be privately funded and that the center would curtail first during heat waves.",[66,286,287],{},"He pitches the project as a jobs and tax base play. He cites 2,500 to 3,500 construction jobs and 100 to 200 permanent positions. A county consultant pegged construction jobs closer to 1,600 to 1,700. And the potential tenant? Rucci hinted at interest from a big tech company, but a spokesperson said that firm isn’t involved.",[61,289,291],{"id":290},"where-the-fight-stands","Where the fight stands",[66,293,294],{},"Imperial officials argue the county moved too quietly and want a full California Environmental Quality Act review. A judge dismissed one petition but allowed a revised complaint, which the city filed in March. The county has issued a grading permit. A planning commission denial of a lot merger has been appealed to the Board of Supervisors.",[66,296,297],{},"Opponents are gathering signatures for a November 2026 ballot measure that would ban data centers countywide. Supporters point to high unemployment and say the project can run on renewables with reclaimed water. \"This data center will come,\" Rucci told inewsource.",[61,299,301],{"id":300},"why-it-matters-in-the-valley","Why it matters in the Valley",[66,303,304],{},"Data centers need cheap land, big power, fiber, and often proximity to wastewater plants. Central Valley counties have all four in places, from Fresno’s industrial corridors to Kern’s transmission hubs. PG&E has warned that data center demand in its territory now exceeds 10% of California’s total generation capacity, which pushes the grid planning issues straight into Valley jurisdictions.",[66,306,307],{},"Supervisors and councils here will face the same choices playing out in Imperial: ministerial sign‑offs versus CEQA, dry cooling versus water cooling, and who pays for substations and lines. SGMA adds a local twist, since any water‑cooled facility would run into groundwater rules if reclaimed supplies fall through. And that question is headed inland too.",[66,309,310],{},"\"Rights are rights, property rights are property rights,\" Rucci said.",[66,312,313],{},[314,315,316,317,319,320,325],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,318,239],{}," team and developed by ",[321,322,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":323},[324],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[327,328],"hr",{},[61,330,332],{"id":331},"source","Source",[66,334,335],{},[321,336,337],{"href":337,"rel":338},"https:\u002F\u002Finewsource.org\u002F2026\u002F04\u002F05\u002Fdata-center-developer-imperial-county\u002F",[324],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":340},[341,342,343,344,345],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":277,"depth":11,"text":278},{"id":290,"depth":11,"text":291},{"id":300,"depth":11,"text":301},{"id":331,"depth":11,"text":332},"2026-06-04","A lawyer-turned-developer wants California's biggest AI data center near Imperial. The water, power, and permitting fight offers a preview for the Central Valley.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fimperial-county-ai-data-center-plan-faces-ceqa-fight-330-mw-power-need","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: 2026-06-04\ndateModified: '2026-06-04'\ndescription: A lawyer-turned-developer wants California's biggest AI data center near\n  Imperial. The water, power, and permitting fight offers a preview for the Central\n  Valley.\ntags:\n- policy\n- energy\n- central valley\ntitle: Imperial County AI data center plan faces CEQA fight, 330 MW power need\n---\n\n# Imperial County AI data center plan faces CEQA fight, 330 MW power need\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. Lawyer Sebastian Rucci proposes a 330‑megawatt, 1 million‑square‑foot AI data center near Imperial.\n2. The city seeks CEQA review, while the county issued a grading permit and is weighing a lot‑merger appeal.\n3. The project would use 750,000 gallons of reclaimed water daily, with no final water or power deals.\n4. Rucci touts 2,500–3,500 construction jobs and 100–200 permanent jobs; a county consultant estimates 1,600–1,700 construction jobs.\n5. PG&E says data center interconnections in its territory top 10% of California’s total generation, which includes much of the Valley.\n\nA stack of yellow speaker cards curled at the edges on the supervisors’ dais. Residents filled two rooms, then spilled outside as chants of \"Fuera!\" bled through the doors. The room was loud.\n\nThe fight in Imperial County matters up Highway 99 because the same questions about power, water and whether CEQA must apply will land in Valley boardrooms too. PG&E’s interconnection queue already includes loads that affect Fresno and Stanislaus counties, and large parcels near high‑voltage lines exist here.\n\n## What the plan includes\n\nDeveloper and attorney Sebastian Rucci wants to build a nearly 1 million‑square‑foot \"hyperscale\" facility on county land off Aten Road, less than a mile from neighborhoods. He describes a 330‑megawatt operation with natural gas backup and an estimated need for 750,000 gallons of reclaimed water per day. He has floated sourcing up to 6 million gallons per day of treated wastewater from Imperial and El Centro, using a fraction to cool the site and routing the rest toward the Salton Sea.\n\nImperial Irrigation District officials say there’s no agreement in place, and the project remains in study. El Centro issued a conditional letter last fall that was not a final water service agreement, while the city of Imperial hasn’t committed to provide reclaimed water. Rucci says upgrades would be privately funded and that the center would curtail first during heat waves.\n\nHe pitches the project as a jobs and tax base play. He cites 2,500 to 3,500 construction jobs and 100 to 200 permanent positions. A county consultant pegged construction jobs closer to 1,600 to 1,700. And the potential tenant? Rucci hinted at interest from a big tech company, but a spokesperson said that firm isn’t involved.\n\n## Where the fight stands\n\nImperial officials argue the county moved too quietly and want a full California Environmental Quality Act review. A judge dismissed one petition but allowed a revised complaint, which the city filed in March. The county has issued a grading permit. A planning commission denial of a lot merger has been appealed to the Board of Supervisors.\n\nOpponents are gathering signatures for a November 2026 ballot measure that would ban data centers countywide. Supporters point to high unemployment and say the project can run on renewables with reclaimed water. \"This data center will come,\" Rucci told inewsource.\n\n## Why it matters in the Valley\n\nData centers need cheap land, big power, fiber, and often proximity to wastewater plants. Central Valley counties have all four in places, from Fresno’s industrial corridors to Kern’s transmission hubs. PG&E has warned that data center demand in its territory now exceeds 10% of California’s total generation capacity, which pushes the grid planning issues straight into Valley jurisdictions.\n\nSupervisors and councils here will face the same choices playing out in Imperial: ministerial sign‑offs versus CEQA, dry cooling versus water cooling, and who pays for substations and lines. SGMA adds a local twist, since any water‑cooled facility would run into groundwater rules if reclaimed supplies fall through. And that question is headed inland too.\n\n\"Rights are rights, property rights are property rights,\" Rucci said.\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\u002Finewsource.org\u002F2026\u002F04\u002F05\u002Fdata-center-developer-imperial-county\u002F\n",{"title":237,"description":347},{"loc":349},"news\u002Fimperial-county-ai-data-center-plan-faces-ceqa-fight-330-mw-power-need",[355,356,357],"policy","energy","central valley","Df7p5Ut2lMhhly8xn0PucZg-8IzXyqbzyT4dc-1AI4M",1782158320485]