Rep. Raul Ruiz opposes proposed Imperial County data center project
Adrik Vargas
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Concerns over a proposed data center project in Imperial County continue to grow, and now, Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) is publicly voicing his opposition.
In an interview, Rep. Ruiz said he opposes proposed data center developments in both Imperial and Coachella Valleys, citing concerns over energy use, water consumption, pollution and potential impacts on local infrastructure.
“I am opposed to the proposed data centers in Imperial and Coachella,” Ruiz said. “I urge local officials to do what they must to delay and end the proposals.”
Residents have spent months speaking out against the project, attending Board of Supervisors meetings and organizing rallies.
Many have raised concerns about how a large-scale data center could affect utility costs and quality of life in the Imperial Valley.
Ruiz said he is particularly concerned about the economic impact on local families.
“I’m also concerned about the economic effects for individual households who may have to pay more out of pocket due to energy costs,” Ruiz said. “The communities in Imperial Valley are already one of the most under-resourced communities in the whole state.”
The developer behind the proposed project, Sebastian Rucci, has defended the plan at public meetings. He says millions of dollars have already been invested in air, water and soil studies and argues that concerns about water use have been overstated.
According to Rucci, the project would use reclaimed water and require significantly less water than some estimates suggest. He also said excess reclaimed water could potentially be made available for public use or sent to the Salton Sea.
Several Imperial Valley cities, including Calipatria, Brawley and Imperial, have moved forward with moratoriums or bans on hyperscale data centers.
Ruiz says he now wants to take the issue beyond the local level. He says he is looking at possible federal legislation that could set clearer rules for where data centers can be built and how they operate.
He says any future policy should address energy costs for consumers, limit development near residential areas, and protect water-scarce regions like the Imperial Valley.
He also says he would want to see requirements for community benefits, including local labor participation and investments in nearby communities.