Bay Area Cities Pause Data Centre Builds Ahead of Election
Seven California cities adopted temporary moratoriums on new server farms, citing rising energy costs and environmental impacts.
By Jessica Abebe ·
Data centre expansion has become a central issue in the San Francisco Bay Area's November 3 election.
At least seven cities in the region adopted temporary construction moratoriums in the final two months before the vote. These local pauses aim to address the environmental and financial costs associated with new infrastructure supporting the artificial intelligence industry.
The move reflects growing frustration among residents over rising utility bills. In Oakland, activists demonstrated outside City Hall in October, wearing cardboard robot costumes and chanting against new facilities. Carlos Gutierrez, an activist with Communities for a Better Environment, noted that some households are considering disconnecting their electricity due to price hikes. The city approved its moratorium on October 6 following days of protests.
The region is home to major AI companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta. These firms rely on data centres that house the chips and servers powering services like ChatGPT and Claude. Such facilities require constant electricity and large water supplies for cooling. Their heat emissions can raise land surface temperatures by up to 9 degrees Celsius, or 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The debate has split the two Democrats running to replace Nancy Pelosi, who is retiring after 39 years in the House. State Senator Scott Wiener opposes a blanket ban, arguing it could weaken AI regulation. San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan supports a nationwide pause until responsible AI rules are set. She helped lead the passage of San Francisco's pause in early October. A University of Southern California poll from mid-October showed Wiener leading by 47 percent to 41 percent.
National data shows over 3,000 operating data centres in the U.S., with more than 1,500 in development. A Pew Research Center survey found that 63 percent of registered voters oppose having a facility within 10 miles of their homes. San Francisco political analyst Shum Preston said developers may be avoiding confrontations before the election. He suggested they could become more vocal once the temporary restrictions expire.
Local officials struggle to track these facilities. San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton said the city's planning code uses a definition from 2001, making it hard to count data centres and monitor their resource use. Roger Lin, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, questioned whether 45 days allows enough time for environmental study. He also noted that nondisclosure agreements often keep local air quality boards in the dark about facility impacts.
