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Residents tell Imperial City Council health risks were omitted from data‑center assessment, urge CEQA review
Summary
Two residents urged the city to press for stronger review of a proposed AI/data center, arguing the generator health‑risk assessment ignored an outage scenario where all backup generators run and asking the council to seek CEQA/EIR analysis and setbacks from homes and schools.
Several Imperial residents used the public‑comment period to urge the City Council to press for fuller review of a proposed data center and to protect nearby neighborhoods.
Robert Powell, a resident of 27277 West La Paz Drive, praised the council’s engagement on the issue and said he had reviewed the project’s health‑risk assessment for generator emissions. “They completely left out of that health risk assessment the scenario of an outage and having to crank all the generators up at the same time, spewing those emissions right into our neighborhood,” Powell said, adding that the omission was contrary to the spirit of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Michelle Hollinger, who said she represents Victoria Homes and lives in Victoria Ranch, asked the council to adopt a resolution to “protect residents, resources and the environment against AI data centers.” Hollinger asked the city to require CEQA and an environmental impact report, to add special conditions and setbacks from schools and residences, and to consider other protective measures before the project proceeds.
Council members did not take formal action during public comment; the remarks were made to inform the council and staff and to request further study and possible policy or advocacy steps. No vote or resolution on the data‑center requests occurred during the meeting.
Next steps: speakers asked council and staff to pursue stronger environmental review and to coordinate with county permitting authorities; the city later moved into a closed session at the end of the meeting, where confidential matters were to be discussed.
