Monterey Park, just east of Los Angeles, made history as the first city to ban data centers earlier this month. Close to 90% of voters supported the ballot measure that made it possible. But the city likely won’t be the last to ban data centers in California, as political fights are erupting across the state.
Residents in regions like the Coachella Valley argue that the data center industry and local governments have failed to be transparent. Experts say organizations that run data centers should increase the amount of information they share about their facility’s impacts and benefits in an effort to bridge some trust.
Behind Monterey Park’s ban on data centers
HMC Stratcap is an Australian Company that planned to build an AI data center at an office park near state Route 60 in Monterey Park. The center could have spanned up to 250,000 square feet — with capacity to provide close to 50 megawatts of power, or enough to power thousands of homes.
Yun Wang, 50, has lived in Monterey Park since 2008. Wang said he lives about a mile from the office park…