Imperial Data Center

County supervisors approved the project in April 2026 without full environmental review, drawing a CEQA lawsuit from the City of Imperial. Facing backlash over Colorado River water (an estimated 260 million gallons/year) and air quality in a region with high childhood asthma rates, the county reversed course in June with a 45-day data center moratorium — prompting the developer to sue. A countywide referendum effort is underway. Update (Sept 2026): both sides lost in court — a judge overturned the project’s approval and ordered full environmental review (Sept 9), then struck down the county’s moratorium for lack of evidence of an immediate threat; the county is drafting a revised version and recall campaigns continue (KPBS). Update (Oct 2026): complying with the court order, supervisors repealed the first moratorium on October 6 and the same day adopted a new 45-day moratorium 5–0, citing new evidence; there will be no November ballot measure, though two supervisors are pushing for a special election on a ban (Calexico Chronicle · KPBS).