Court overturns approval of Imperial County data center, orders environmental review

CBLG secured a significant victory on behalf of the Sierra Club when the Imperial County Superior Court overturned the County’s approval of a proposed data center complex and ordered the County to conduct environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Court found that Imperial County improperly approved a lot merger without first analyzing the environmental impacts of the project as a whole.

The proposed complex would include a large battery energy storage system, natural gas generators, and a new electrical substation and would be located directly adjacent to the Victoria Ranch residential neighborhood. Community members and environmental advocates had raised concerns regarding the project’s potential impacts on the region’s power grid, water supply, and air quality.
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Judge Brooks Anderholt concluded that the County was required to evaluate the environmental impacts of the entire project before approving the lot merger. The Court found that the County “prejudicially abused its discretion” by approving the merger without completing the CEQA review required for the whole project.

The ruling halts the project as approved and requires the County to undertake the environmental review process before moving forward. The decision ensures that the potential environmental consequences of this large-scale data center development are evaluated and disclosed before the project may proceed.

KPBS Article

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