Baldwin Park adopts one-year urgency moratorium on new data centers, citing water concerns

Baldwin Park’s City Council on Wednesday approved an urgency ordinance extending a moratorium on the approval, establishment or operation of data centers within city limits. The ordinance was approved on an urgency basis (single reading) and passed unanimously 3–0.

Councilmember Emmanuel J. Estrada warned of potential impacts on local water resources, noting that Baldwin Park sits atop the San Gabriel Valley Basin and emphasizing the need to protect that shared resource. “Protecting our water, it’s incredibly important because that is a resource that we cannot risk,” Estrada said during discussion.

City staff and legal counsel characterized the item as an extension of a prior short-term urgency ordinance; the update extends the pause on data center approvals for up to one year to give staff time to study potential impacts and regulatory responses. Because the ordinance was presented as an urgency measure it required a unanimous vote for adoption in a single reading; the council voted 3–0 in favor.

The council did not adopt follow-up study details at the meeting; staff will continue reviewing the item and return with any recommended regulations or findings.