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Hundreds of residents press Coachella City Council to halt Stronghold data center plan

City Council of the City of Coachella · April 22, 2026
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Summary

At a packed Coachella council meeting residents urged the council to terminate its agreement with Stronghold Power and enact a moratorium on data centers, raising concerns about water use, air and noise pollution, few local jobs, and alleged conflicts of interest in the city—s process. Council scheduled a May 11 community workshop to share more information.

Dozens of residents told the Coachella City Council on April 27 that the city—s public-private utility agreement and proposed Coachella Valley Technology campus tied to Stronghold Power would harm local water, air and neighborhood quality while delivering few local benefits.

"We need a moratorium, not only on data centers," said James Rodriguez, a lifelong Coachella resident, urging the council to stop developments that would require the city to subsidize infrastructure or cover costs through rates. "If we are footing the bill for their electrical, their street, their water ... they shouldn't get to go forward."

Speakers cited large…

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