Public comment corpus

Board of Supervisors

June 16, 2026 · Advisory committee and moratorium · 46 spoken public comments

Unofficial transcript from the official recording, speaker-tagged and checked against official minutes where available. The official record is the video and minutes. Timestamps mark the start of each comment in the recording.

Speaker	Time	Comment (verbatim)
Victor Sesueta	0:39:48	Good morning, chairperson, chairwoman, and board of supervisors. My name is Victor Zasota. I live at 1603 Farmer Drive. And I have a few observations about what's going on with the proposed data center. Contrary to what one economist told the board, the benefits of a data center would have to the general fund and its impact on the economy. The benefits of a data center would have to the general fund and its impact on employment. We know from the past decades, these same promises were made about prisons, solar farms, detention centers, waste dumps, today lithium extraction and data centers. We know from observation that these promises were never kept, but these indices keep targeting our minority community here and in the Yuma, Arizona area. And unemployment remains high as poverty does. There are knowledgeable persons who are involved in this. They're not just people who are involved in this. in real estate and agriculture will know that farming as it has been done for the past 120 years in the imperial valley is ending and will soon come to an end in the coming decades we all recognize this fact the drought the crisis in the colorado river the struggle of the many against the few over who gets the remaining water will have an impact on agriculture locally you all recognize this fact the county contracted economist michael bracken from the development management group who has written about this for the southern california associations and government talking about the decline of agriculture in imperial county our residents need to hear and know these facts what kind of future awaits students in our classrooms today employment opportunities are growing and the number of jobs will be limited and without a good education jobs will be hard to find additionally we'll be living in an environment that is both toxic and dangerous due to the dying salton sea and from increased cross-border pollution what our community residents need and require is safe sustainable and environmentally healthy economic development detention centers prisons gold mines and data centers are not the answers my final observation is that the county should use the 12 million in the public benefit fund to invest in our community anchor institutions such as public libraries public schools public hospitals public centers and public parks and public community farms the public should be invited to apply for funds from the public benefit fund to create cooperative enterprises and businesses that will serve our local communities and ensure the wealth it creates locally and fosters generational wealth there are economic development models using these strategies that invest in worker-owned and worker-run enterprises thank you
Peter Rodriguez	0:43:05	my name is peter rodriguez good morning members of the board and in the audience. My public comment is I'd like to thank Supervisor Martha Karanasinghe for taking care of the city with the community of Heber, with the sidewalk ceremony they had last week and will end with their, it was a wonderful ceremony. It was nice to see action being done in the community of Heber. My next public comment is of concern to this board and to the public. I understand that Chairman Price and Ryan Kelly sent letters against Senator Padilla's bill. It's unfortunate that their other teammates, the other three board members, were not communicated with that matter. For the record, I have not spoken to any of them. So I'm giving you some doubt. All our ships as five members should be going together. But instead, we've seen that 40% of the board, once a tell, the other 60%, what to do and how to do it. That is wrong. That is a violation of the Brown Act, folks. Why? And I tell you this, right now as I'm going to, football referee training is not five yards offsides. It's unsportsmanlike conduct out of the game. Seriously, folks. The best intelligence is boots on the ground. Not emails, not phone calls, not texts. Why does it come to me? Only God knows, right? But I tell you this, when 60% of the board don't know what 40% are doing, it sends the wrong message to our community. And especially you, Mr. Kelly, you think you're the king. I'll tell you what, there's no king in this country, there's no king in this valley. You don't have a great relationship. With our power and grid system, the IED, who three of them were reelected back to office. They won landslide, those that had opponents. That's a strong message to all five of you. And I know we have differences, Mr. Escobar, Mr. Hawk, but when you're held out to dry, I just can't stand quiet. It's wrong. It was wrong that you two did it to them. You don't belong in those seats. You guys should walk now, resign your positions, save yourselves before it gets worse. Thank you.
Christopher Scurries	0:45:58	My name is Chris Gurrius. I'm the resident of Imperial. I wanted to take a moment today to talk about the economic development in this county. Unlike most of you and many people in this county, I'm from the Imperial Valley. I am not from here, much like Dr. Lange. But unlike Dr. Lange, I actually do currently live here and for the last nine years. I grew up in the great San Joaquin Valley in Modesto, California. And before moving here, I lived in Fresno for eight years, where I earned my bachelor's and master's in teaching credential from Fresno State, go dogs. Modesto and Fresno are much like the Imperial Valley. They all have challenging summers and their economies are rooted in agriculture. When my parents moved to Modesto in the late 80s from the Bay Area, the town looked a lot like the Bay Area. It looked a lot like the towns here in Imperial. But its proximity of and its affordability compared to the Bay Area transformed it into a large, bustling city. And ironically, I probably couldn't even afford to move back to Modesto even if I wanted to. Same as Fresno, as an even larger city with an agricultural background. Modesto and Fresno also have something in common with Imperial in that there are no hyperscale AI data center campuses. Those towns prioritize long-term growth over quick fixes. Two weeks ago, I was here to listen to Supervisor Kelly wax poetic on the financials of the county. And how we don't have enough money coming in. You have been elected and reelected four times. And the only solution you have come up within that time is to fast track dangerous projects next to our homes. And with the help of your cousin, no less. If you can't figure out how to build a bustling economy in the state of California of all places without the help of data centers, then the problem isn't the design of our economy. The problem is you and your failed leadership for more than a decade. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are hundreds of people out there. There are hundreds of communities across the state that have thriving economies without extracting from the health, safety, and dignity of working class citizens. I want this board to get back to the basics because I'm not going anywhere. To not reinvent the wheel. Growing our economy is important to you. And it's important to everybody here. And that is one of the very few things that we actually agree on. But it cannot be done by exploiting the land and the people. For data centers. Data center projects. Thank you. Thank you.
William Cooper	0:48:38	My name is William Cooper. I'm here for two reasons today. First, I am the executive director of the Becoming Project located in Calipatra, California. Since March, my staff director has been sending letters and requests to this board of supervisors for support during our Keep Cool Calipatra events. We do extreme heat and emergency response during the summers for the last five years. Recently, we received a letter from the board of supervisors and we received a response from one of the supervisors. That supervisor was kind enough to donate $100 to our cause. We haven't heard anything from the other four supervisors on this dice two weeks ago. I was here and I heard the Humane Society asked for $600,000 for a mobile pet clinic. And that request was granted. I wanted to know what measuring stick are we using to decide priorities in Imperial County. Not to knock the Humane Society or the need for pet care in Imperial County. But what? What must we do to get the same consideration for human beings that we get for dogs? So what I am going to do is I'm going to ask for direction from this board. Write us back and tell us what we must do. What kind of presentation must we give to you to get the same consideration for human beings in Imperial County as we get for dogs? Then I'm William Cooper. I'm a resident of Calipatra 210 West California Street. I have been here six years. Been in this chamber 600. I've been here 600 times pleading with you to be more equitable in the way you do distribution and decision making. Today is data centers. Yesterday it was prisons. Tomorrow it will be lithium valley. What I come to realize in the last few months is that's not the problem. Tom DuBois is not the problem. Ricci is not the problem. The way that we make decisions in Imperial County is the problem. The way that you fast track projects that haven't been properly vetted is the problem. The way that you give contracts and support, to your friends and people that has already received all the support in Imperial County is the problem. We have heard about the need for a moratorium on data centers in Imperial County, and that might be true, but today we don't need a moratorium on data centers. We need a moratorium on you. We need you to stop. We need you to stop making the decisions that hurt your residents. We need you to stop putting yourself and your own self-interest above what your people need. The moment that you do that, you will start having this crowd out here to support you and not to yell at you. That's it. Thank you.
Gina Brister-Snow	0:53:51	My name is Gina Brewster-Snow. Over the last several days, residents in Victoria Ranch have received these at their homes. They appear to coincide with an op-ed Sebastian Rucci recently put out in Desert Review and the Imperial's Carlos Duran has been peddling incessantly on his social media accounts promoting what is being called a compromise. Positive. You've all seen it by now. What interests me most is not the compromise. It's the admission. For months, residents have been treated as though the concern with the Imperial Data Center project was not what was being proposed, but that they were concerned about it at all. And now the very people who spent months defending the project are campaigning on buffers, relocation, and greater distance from homes. Think about that for a moment. Okay. They said if buffers mattered now, they mattered then. If buffers mattered now, they mattered then also. If relocation is suddenly being sold as a solution, then the original location was never beyond question. The compromise is not proof the public was wrong. It's proof the public had to fight far harder than it should have to be taken seriously. The same concerns that were dismissed, mocked, and minimized in this very boardroom are being recycled as selling points. And that's not leadership. That sounds of a narrative collapsing under the weight of its own contradictions. But before anyone celebrates this compromise, let's remember that the public is being asked to trust a process that has not survived the very scrutiny residents were mocked for demanding. For months, our questions have been treated like obstacles. Now assumptions are being treated like answers. That's not confidence. That is desperation. At the last meeting, residents heard comments implying that somehow this controversy is a consequence of where they chose to live. No. People chose their homes. And the you chose to live their argument falls apart the moment you read this compromise because if location wasn't the issue, there would be nothing to move. The compromise doesn't support the argument. It destroys it. The public was told there was no problem and now the public is being handed a plan designed to solve one. The public was told the location was appropriate. Now the public is being asked to consider alternatives. The public was told not to worry. Now the public is being sold protections. The compromise is built around the very concerns residents were told to stop having. And that is not a compromise. It's the public being proven right one concession at a time. Thank you.
Ida Burden	0:56:26	Good morning. I'm Ida. Good morning, people of the Imperial Valley. I'm glad to see you show up. I've decided one thing in this whole episode. We're being lied to. I'd like to know by who exactly. We get information from all sides that is not consistent at all. You say we have plenty of water? No. water to supply how many data centers that are being proposed in this valley, we can't keep track. Okay, I've talked about it before. Lake Powell has gone dry. Lake Mead has gone dry. The Salton Sea has gone dry. The Great Salt Lake has gone dry. We're at the bottom end of all these water sources. Our only source of water comes from up there. Now, I don't know how you change those facts, but somehow in this op-ed that Ruchi's put out in the last two days, we supposedly have all the water we need. We're giving it away. We're wasting it. We're sending it to Coachella. We're sending it to Riverside so that they can thrive on our wasted water. Now, I don't know. We see the fallowed fields. We had our water sold out because we had plenty. Now, we know that the Hoover Dam is fixing to not be flowing because of the water level. It can't even. We can't provide Vegas with water. These are facts. These are from scientists. These are from data. And yet, you're taking information from a salesman who has no skin in this game at all with that data center. We have not heard who is actually going to put this data center together. Is it Google? Is it Meta? Is it Microsoft? Who is it? Anybody got any idea? All these promises are made. They're going to do this. They're going to educate people. We're going to have training for data centers. Okay, how many people do you need to run a data center? Physical people. Humans on the job. They say 100. Well, we've heard those numbers before and I doubt that severely. Their goal is to absolutely do away with human involvement in these operations. They've ruined the communities across this country. Where are you getting your information as to these are a good thing? Every person I've heard from, there's 5,500 of them in this country. All right? We've got that many communities. We've got, say, 2,000 in each one of these communities. And that's a bare minimum, nothing estimation. What have we got? 200,000 people that have been disenfranchised, have had their lives ruined, and yet you ignore these things that are being fought across our country? We're not talking just here. We're talking across the entire state of California and every state in this country. Every state. Now, you say we've got plenty of power, right? Okay, I'd like to have the IID, the County Board of Supervisors, a California State Representative. [Chair: Ms. Burton, you're three minutes are up.] See, I can blow through some time, so can you people.
Pasha	1:03:48	My name is Pasha. Good morning. My name is Pasha. I'm a little nervous. I haven't done this before. My name is Pasha. I am Quetzal and Lakota Si-Chungu from South Dakota. I am a resident of Winter Haven Tribal Reservation and a Quetzal tribal member of the Quetzal tribe. I would like to comment on two important issues this morning. First, regarding the June 2, 2026 election, tribal voters did not have access to a ballot drop-off box. The only option available was mailing ballots, which created challenges for many residents, especially those living in Winter Haven. In addition, the voting site was located at the Quetzal administration building, rather than the San Pesquil Valley School, where voting services have traditionally been available. This change caused confusion and communication issues within the community. As we prepare for the November election 2026, I urge and formally request election officials to proceed. First, I urge and formally request election officials to provide a secure ballot drop-off box and increase outreach efforts so that tribal members and rural residents clearly understand their voting options and locations. Accessible voting is essential to ensuring equal participation in our democracy. Second, I want to express my concern regarding opposition to SB 675. As a resident of the Quetzal community, I am concerned about the impact of this election on our democracy. As a resident and tribal member, I believe it is important that our air quality governance system be structured in a way that effectively protects public health throughout Imperial County. The air we breathe does not stop at city, county, or reservation boundaries. We all share the same air, and air pollution affects every person in our region. Clean air is not a political issue. It is a human issue. Any efforts to strengthen oversight and accountability for air quality deserves thoughtful consideration because it impacts the health and well-being of all communities. Thank you for your time and consideration. Ms. Pasha, Pasha, before you see, you're plotting it, you're not able to hear me. Pasha? Pasha? I'm just going to direct staff to work with you on this. We'll work on the outreach communication for November. Okay? Thank you.
David Shoneman	1:06:48	My name's David Shoneman. I'm a resident of Brawley. It's good to be here in front of the board again. Nice to see many of my old friends. But what an interesting morning. It's great seeing democracy at work. And just the opinions that people are able to come forth and speak is magnificent. magnificent and that's the strength of our country and as we point over here in God we trust and so I Just like to support what mr. Says weta had to say I was going to talk about many of the points that he had but in interest of time I just like to add to that that maybe this is a time for the board to take a hard look at some of their Controlling operation parameters with regard to your planning and directing and your public works department Maybe time to take a look at that also. I think with like mr. Says weta so effectively said our Valley is shrinking and I've been here all my life, and I'm kind of an old guy, but anyway It's sad to see but there's also in times of stress and trouble There's a time for opportunity and you can see how the community comes together in a tough situation The same can happen if they get a momentum going to help change and Turn some things around take the same energy we see today on this particular topic and use that for growth and Take a review of how we're doing things the existing model isn't necessarily working I think it needs to be tweaked a little bit and just like to close and say hi to my friends from the puts on Nation over there. It's good to see you guys again. Thank you very much Thank you So we do have a public hearing at 11 a.m. How many other speakers do we have? Foreign chambers one in zoom Not for regular public Chair we we do have the 11 o'clock Public hearing we don't have to start exactly at 11, but we should be close to it So it's really a chairs call whether to handle the remaining public comments or Well if if we get through this Efficiently we can I think we can get through the speakers and then move on to the hearing Let's see how it goes and that would take us to about eleven ten I don't think that's helpful too long of a time after 11. Okay, let's go. Who's next?
Julian Daniel	1:13:34	My name is Julian Daniel. I'm from Holtville, and I'm here because the Imperial Valley, residents deserve more than promises. We deserve protection, and we deserve clarity. Today, this board is considering a moratorium and an advisory committee. I support the moratorium. Frankly, if there was never a problem, there would be no need for an emergency ordinance in the first place. The county itself is not acknowledging that there are concerns regarding public health, safety, welfare, schools, neighborhoods, and land use compatibility. Those are not my words. Those are concerns written into the very documents before you today. But a pause is not a solution. The document also states that certain data centers are already permitted, by right, on industrial land. That means regulations are not strengthened, then the moratoriums could become tomorrow's green light. So my question is simple. What happens when the moratorium expires? Will residents have enforceable protection? Mr. Daniel, are you speaking on an item on the agenda? All right, I'll skip that, you know. Let me ask this directly, on the general context of it, okay? My favorite thing about everything is that a developer will come on in here, sell you guys everything, and then leave the citizens to fight the board. Isn't that beautiful? They don't come, they don't back you up, they don't support you. Everybody that's being paid to support the data centers, they're not even speaking, because they know they can't speak on it. So my public comment will be directed to the board then. Take a look at the people behind us. Take a look at the solutions behind us. Take a look at the individuals that are in seat. We care more about your livelihood, we care more about your health, we care more about you guys, than you guys are showing that we care about y'all. Or excuse me, vice versa. Where's the care at? We care more about you guys. Wait for these emails from Susan Hunt traditions full Kotatsujos moderators campaign campaign Speaking outside voice Whatever chance theseئ Victor Martinez I don't want your cousin to publicly apologize to Peter Rodriguez for what he said. I want him to publicly apologize for what he said, blaming it on the people. All right? It's not the people's fault for wanting to live in a house, but it is the Board of Supervisors' fault for letting that happen, for letting them talk to Mr. Rodriguez like that, for letting him come up and speak to us like we're not a part of the county. Because the blessing of this movement, the blessing of these data centers is that it brought us all together to be able to provide you guys a solution, to be able to come together and communicate with y'all. Be a leader and accept that. Be a leader and accept that movements need to be made or, hey, if spots need to be changed, there's someone in the back over right here and that'll take you. Straight up.
Brenda Palomares	1:17:38	My name is Brenda Palomares, and I'm here to talk about the future of our county. I think everyone in here wants our county to move in a positive direction. I have been noticing that there are projects like the solar panels that you guys have been building on, like the schools. And we've got road work. We renovated the police department. I'm going to make the bulletin. I have a bold assumption that you guys did not have pushback like this on those projects. So I want everyone to just be aware that this is a clear sign that the community does not want this. Our county does not want us to move in a negative direction. I think that's what the data center is going to do. So I truly urge the board members to reconsider the project. I don't want to see our communities turn into ghost towns. I've been to a few meetings by now, and every time I come, I see different faces. There are a lot of us who don't want this project. Since I feel our community has done an amazing job sharing concerns, I don't have much to add. I will quickly mention some of the comments that have stuck out to me. People are concerned about our electricity and our water. A parent shared how discouraging it is that we are telling our kids to eat healthy while you guys are comfortable with poisoning their air. There's been constant reminders of lack of sequel review that are frankly so frustrating to hear. I don't understand why we have to keep repeating it and nothing is done. You guys need to hold your developers accountable. A resident even shared that she's lost a friend because of this center already. That's not okay. A few of our community members that spoke up right here were running out of time, and I don't know if you can hear me. I just want to remind the board that they were extremely comfortable with Mr. Rucci presenting us with almost a two-hour misleading PowerPoint that was essentially a sales pitch trying to fool us. I'm just going to end it there and hope that you guys will reconsider this. Thank you. Thank you.
Anthony Ralph	1:20:08	My name is Anthony Relfs. I'm the vice chair of the Boulevard Planning Group. I'm also a member of DFLOC and the San Diego Trust Coalition. We specialize in privacy concerns for San Diegans. And today I wanted to speak about the correlation between these AI data centers, FLOC surveillance technology, and the increasing luxury mass surveillance technology that we're using to monitor and monitor our data centers. And I want to start by saying that we're very proud that these AI data centers are empowering. Now, I have realized that FLOC is already out here in El Centro, and we do know that these AI data centers are going towards the development of ICE being able to catalog people, of ICE being able to keep track of people, and these cameras are providing the means of that equipment, of that surveillance to become empowered. And these AI data centers are the means by which those cameras are able to track me, provide buildings with partneredugen Couldn't transport trained켜 Ly Friends teams whileний Mobile Nitinformation Campaign Contact Carmen of our constitutional right to habeas corpus, of our protection from warrantless surveillance. And these AI data centers are empowering this technology that would surveil all of us. So I'm asking you not only to think about the environmental concerns, all of the concerns that everyone is raising in this room, but the privacy concerns that are associated with this project, the privacy concerns that will curtail this project if they're not viewed within the scope of what this project is really about. Thank you. Thank you.
Gina Brister-Snow	3:05:59	Madam Chair and members of the board, my name is Gina Brister-Snow. I support the moratorium because residents deserve a pause, but residents deserve a real pause. If these rules are important enough to pause and study, they are important enough to stop accepting new applications under them. Otherwise, what is being preserved is not the public's confidence, it is the county's options. When a government is openly debating whether stronger protections are necessary, the benefit of that uncertainty should... belong to the public, not future projects, not pending projects, and certainly not projects that remain exempt from the very protections this board is now suggesting may be necessary. You do not pause a process that needs no corrections. You do not pause a study, a framework that needs no improvements. And you do not appoint a 19-member committee to investigate concerns that never existed. Yet, here we are. Which means one of two things happened. Either the public spent months raising legitimate concerns that were dismissed until they became politically impossible to ignore, or this board is proposing a moratorium, an advisory committee, and potential future amendments to solve a problem that never existed. I think the public is smart enough to figure out which explanation is more likely. Now, let me be clear. I do support a committee. What I do not support is asking the public to place its trust in a committee appointed by the same governing structure that spent months giving them reasons not to. Because the real issue here is not the committee. The real issue is control. The public has spent months demanding a seat at the table. This resolution offers them an application for one. And after months of residents forcing this conversation, forcing this moratorium, and forcing this board to confront concerns it spent months defending against, the public is still expected to ask permission to participate in what comes next. I do not think this board should be surprised that many residents are struggling to tell the difference between an objective review and the government grading its own homework. If restoring public confidence is truly the goal, then the public should not merely be allowed to vote. The public should be able to apply for participation. The public should be able to see the committee's work. The public should be able to review its recommendations. And the public should be able to weigh in before these recommendations return to this board for action. Because confidence is not restored when government appoints a committee to advise government. Confidence is restored when government is willing to surrender enough control to prove it's actually listening. Otherwise, the public is not truly being invited into the process. rather the public is being filtered through it. Which would be an interesting response to the very people who forced this conversation in the first place. The public brought you here to this conversation, to this moratorium, and to the reality that the concerns residents were criticized for raising were never the problem. Ignoring them was. Thank you.
Gloria Uribe-Brister	3:08:53	Good afternoon, board members. My name is Gloria Uribe-Brister, 746 Yucca Drive, El Centro, here in California. And as California resident, as well as an Imperial County resident, I recognize that the issues that face you today are not just Imperial County's concerns. There are small, rural counties throughout the United States that are going through some of the same things that we are going through. Raising the bar. Raising the same questions. Now, I cannot possibly comment any more eloquently than some of the members here who have been commenting for many months. But, I'm here to do something perhaps a little bit different. I'm here to pray for you. That you get wisdom. James 1.5 says that if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God. And in God we do trust. God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Wisdom is a difficult thing. And right now we all need the wisdom. James also says in 3.17 that wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all, pure. It's peace loving. It's considerate. Submissive. Full of love. Full of mercy and good fruit. Impartial and sincere. Now, I feel very strongly that we are, you are, public servants. Leaders in your community means that you are able to be public servants. I'm very familiar with what a public servant looks like because I had a, hmm, man that I live with as a public servant who was the mayor of the city of El Centro at one time. His servanthood meant getting up at 7 in the evening, when a little old lady called him and said, my trash wasn't emptied. And she was having an apoplectic fit. He personally took his truck over to the little old lady's house, knocked on her door and said, ma'am, I'll take your trash and I'll empty it for you. That's a public servant. He fought for the water rights of Imperial County at the risk of his own family who had death threats. That's a public servant. I ask, as many of you have talked about integrity, Proverbs says, whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever walks, takes crooked paths, will be found out. Hmm. It's going to take courage to do what is next, and that means you're going to have to vote. I am going to tell you right now that I am for the moratorium on this issue. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified. For the Lord your God is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Mr. Oster, your three minutes are up.
Jake Tison	3:12:13	Good afternoon, board. You guys are going to hate this. The proposed moratorium is policy violence. It's garbage. You guys are going to bring in some rules, but you're going to allow the destructive stuff to still come in the building. Forming a committee means you are not going to do the work yourselves. You're going to have the no accountability act again. It's kind of like how you guys function around here. Let's have somebody else take care of it. Data centers should be banned in the Imperial Valley because they are not compatible with life here. This valley already carries more than its fair share. We live with extreme heat, stress, water supplies, poor air quality, asthma, agriculture pressure, and power grid that should be serving families, farms, schools, hospitals, and small businesses. Not billion dollar tech companies looking for the cheapest place to dump their industrial footprint. They call it innovation. They call it progress. They call it economic development. But what kind of progress threatens our air, our water, our homes, our health? And our peace? The American promise is supposed to include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But how can families pursue happiness when industrial scale data centers are placed near neighborhoods? How can children pursue happiness if their air gets worse? How can workers pursue happiness if water and energy are redirected away from the people who actually live here to those disgusting and harmful data centers? The pursuit of happiness is not just about the health. It is a phrase. It means the right to live in peace. A right to raise a family without industrial harm at our doorsteps. The right to breathe clean air, sleep at night, and trust that your elected leaders are protecting you, not sacrificing you. This is not Data Center Alley. This is the Imperial Valley. Imperial Valley is our home. And we refuse to continue to be an industrialized sacrifice zone. Ban these disgusting data centers in the Imperial Valley. Protect the people. Protect our water. Protect our health. And protect our American pursuit of happiness. It's obvious the lack of leadership skills in this room by the number of data centers in the project system as we speak. We have Kashan, Atena Clark, Sinclair, Ranchos Los Lagos, Mesquite Lake, Lithium Valley, Hell's Kitchen, YK America, and we found one yesterday off a Highland Canal. It's like every week. There's another one. And that's just to name a few. So find some courage, you know, for once. Find some courage and lead and ban these violent and disgusting industrial infrastructures and start protecting the lives of this county. Thank you.
Peter Rodriguez	3:15:13	My name is Peter Rodriguez. And I'm the chair of the district office of the district office of the district office. adequate. Thank you for coming back. This piece that you guys are presenting, it reminds me of a quarterback scramble drill when they're trying when the line doesn't block for them and the quarterback trying to find an open receiver or running back to throw the ball to. It takes 19 people to make a decision for us. I mean, a group of five would have been better. I don't see a good start. My big question is, is this another example of 40% of the board making a document that's being presented and 60% of the board doesn't have it? If Arturo Borges' article about the ghost papers, the ghost trails, remember that article? And the next factor, I know the audience do read it. We know this deal with Rucy was a no-go from the beginning. The ghost papers, that article proved it all. Now you want to come to us? Trust us. I cannot trust you. I only trust one. And that's Martha O'Connor saying because she voted no against the love merger. One. One out of four. It should be five, but I can't. Did I defend some of you earlier in public comment? Absolutely, because it was the right thing to do. You deserve that. When 40% are trying to make a decision, it's wrong. And I want to know the authors of those ghost papers. Please tell us. Admit the truth that it was one of you guys. Or maybe 40% of the board wrote that. Okay, we'll do it. We'll hide it. No one's going to find out. But we found out. We have better intel than you or the CIA. Street intel. Email intel. We haven't gone to drone yet because they're expensive. But one day, who knows? Tell me, how much do you really want something done for the public correctly? You talk about a business climate. Well, there's $60 million that needs to be paid to the county by your cousin, Mr. Kelly. This is the wrong business. This is the wrong business. John Hawk, welcome back to the farming committee. You were gone there for a while. Now you're a farmer? My God, pick up your mind. I cannot support this the way it's written. It needs to be clear, concise. We don't want people in these nonprofits like Eric Reyes or Tony Gagel on that committee. No, there are better people out there. You should try looking at the Hidalgo Society. You should look at members of council out there. Three or four of them from the county would be acceptable. Across the board. North and South and East West. And there you have your committee. Thank you.
Susan Ferrar-Paradis	3:18:14	Hi, I'm Susan Ferrar Paredes. I live in Imperial. It's been a long day and I've heard a lot of stuff, so I'm going to start out by saying I support the ad hoc committee, and I'm going to ask the community to look at it. And we have been asking for months for community involvement, and they are giving it to us. And I think we need to start being productive in the way we resolve this issue. I know it's been a long haul, but this is an olive branch from our county, and let's get on board. I asked for those people, the businesses, the different sectors. That is the community. That is the community. So I appreciate that there is no staff on that, because that was my one request, that there be no staff. I appreciate that. So I'm just going to say we've got to not dig our heels in, or we're going to lose. So that being aside, that wasn't my original plan, but I want to take my responsibility for emailing all of these boards and saying this is what I think would help. And I'm not saying pro data center, but I'm saying at some point. I'm not saying that we have to be able to work together. So I just wanted to lay that out. With respect to the moratorium, I appreciate this effort. I believe it needs to be made clear. If it hasn't to some, 45 days is the law. Every city has done the 45 days, and then it's voted on for one year or two year. And I'm not saying that we can't do that. But 45 days, we're coming back. My only concern and question that I would like addressed, because this is very legalistic, and I don't always read things correctly. But item 13 in this moratorium says the board finds this urgency ordinance is not subject to CEQA. So I need clarification on what that means. Okay. Because that either needs to be taken out or rewritten to say evaluated on a case-by-case basis. CEQA is the whole issue here. CEQA has to be, if it is truly light, if it truly meets the CEQA requirements, then that's fine. But this project on 8 and... I know. It does not meet exemption requirements. Thank you.
Michelle Hollinger	3:22:40	Good afternoon, board, Madam Chair, Michelle Hollinger, Victoria Holmes. Okay. So let's talk about the advisory committee. I would like to say yes to this because some things need to change. I'm not sure about the 19 people and all that stuff. But the M1 zoning needs to change. The buy right development needs to change. There needs to be stronger ordinances. There needs to be safety for the public in this. So I would say yes to that. Oh, and then 10 miles for many residents. That would be great. As far as the moratorium, I would say yes as well. Okay. But it... Okay. It needs to include the three projects that I knew about, but Jake just said, what, ten? So it needs to include those two. You guys are going to get railroaded if not. Now let's talk about the proposed hyperscale AI data center in Imperial. This project should be null and void. My reason in being is back in 2017, you guys told us, staff told us, yeah, it went through SQL, it went through EIR, data centers are safe, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, there's no paperwork now to back that up? Seriously. Seriously. We've been through this for so many months. My fight or flight has gone off the charts. My business is at stake. You guys don't have the paperwork? Seriously? Staff is telling us that this was done. Staff was telling us that this could also cause chemical burns and respiratory issues. And you can't tell me that you guys didn't know about this. Unacceptable. You were supposed to be in charge of staff. Unacceptable. Staff is also telling us it's just a lot merger. When are you guys going to stop lying to us? Please. If this hyperscale AI data center in Imperial is no big deal, like what you're saying happened in Virginia when you saw that one, stop lying to me and prove it. Do the [CEQA].
Bob Diaz	3:26:04	My name is Bob Diaz. You may not know me. I'm kind of a quiet guy, but I get around. I do a lot of stuff. And I'm here not for me. I'm here for you. I'm here to tell all of you, why aren't you listening to us? We're telling you what we want from you. We're telling you why we want it. and you're not listening. Why? You get paid, last I heard, and you work for us. Why does it not feel that way? It feels to me like you work for you, not for us, because reality is, I've been coming to meetings for months. And it's the same thing every meeting. We talk about the same stuff, the same disasters that could possibly happen. And in some communities, all you gotta do is look across the country. You see it happening everywhere. Are we blind? I'm here to tell you that we have to stop looking just to the tip of our nose and listen. look at what's happening. You need to swallow your pride. You need to take a minute and say, you know what? I'm going to do the right thing. Martha, thank you for doing that. The rest of you, why aren't you doing it? I think that every single one of you, except for Martha, needs to resign. You are not looking out for the people. You are not caring about the very people you're supposed to be serving. So my question is to you, why aren't you caring and why aren't you resigning?
Christopher Scurries	3:31:59	Good afternoon again, board. Chris Scurries from Living Imperial. Before I get to what I wanted to talk about, you do have a building, by the way, that could house your APCD building. You don't spend $20 million on it, 405 West 8th Street. Might be better than that $1,000 a month. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Escobar? Better use of that. Anyway, I want to address item 16 on your agenda in this supposed moratorium. According to this item, if passed, the moratorium would not prevent developers from applying for, nor would it prevent the processing of data center applications. I want to urge the board to strike that section of the proposal before voting on it, as having it makes the moratorium not only ineffective, but frankly pointless. I asked a question two weeks ago, out of turn, mind you, but everyone here needs to know right now, if this moratorium, if passed, would it apply retroactively to the processes of all current data center projects currently in the county system, as Ms. Amari sort of alluded to here, that are by your own admission, and I quote, a current and immediate threat to public health, safety, and welfare? Will this moratorium pause all data center projects from moving forward for the duration of the moratorium, as the language is neither clear nor specific? So, Ms. Price, I respectfully request you allow county council to answer that yes or no question right now, if you don't mind. Or I can move on. You can move on, Mr. Scurries. Thank you. All right. That's fine. I've made a note of it. All right. Well, moving on to item A of 16, which I think is probably better if we called it Plan A. The truth is, I have a lot of thoughts on the moratorium, but I don't think anyone in this room actually believes that you are going to pass it with a fourth, fifth majority. This advisory committee is nothing without a moratorium, and it's really nothing if it's stacked with more of your family members and your political allies and your co-conspirators. But much like in the city of Brawley, where we have another one of those family members, this committee will likely serve to be an alternative to a moratorium and responsible governance, instead of a mechanism for it. It's just like the data center itself. Instead of CEQA, we get berms. We get vapid promises. So I want to encourage this board to pass both elements of this item, but if and only if changes are made so that they may effectively protect the people of Imperial County. Thank you.
Carolina Paez	3:35:12	My name is Carolina Paez. I want to let my daughter take my time to speak because she want to.
Abigail Gonzalez	3:35:23	My name is Abigail Gonzalez. I am from Imperial, California. I don't want the data center because here in Imperial Valley, we are not going to risk lives. Also, it's too hot here already. And it'll make too much noise. There's always with a data center here. We will not let you move us out of our homes. We will still fight for our rights. Thank you. Also, I bring my boy Guillermo Zejas. He's a little more shy than his sister. He has her son. allergies, asthma, and also have problems to sleep at night because he's in the spectrum. So a data center next to our home is impossible. I asked you to vote for a moratorium but I request that ban a data center from here to Imperial because we don't have the resources, we don't have the weather, we don't have, I don't care if you say Mr. Escobar that we have the water but I don't see the water. And I don't know but I asked you to take care of you the person that we live in Imperial. Thank you.
Pasha	3:37:34	My name is Pasha. I am Quetzal and Lakota Seed from South Dakota. I am personally speaking today regarding item 16 the proposed AI data center moratorium. I want to begin by acknowledging the message on this shirt that I am wearing today. No one is illegal on stolen land. For me this is a reminder that indigenous peoples have lived and cared for these lands since time immemorial. We cannot continue patterns of development that have been violated by the government. We cannot continue to avoid this. We cannot continue to ignore tribal voices, sacred places and responsibilities to our future generations. The sacred places would be Pilots Knob, Indian Pass, Lake Cahuilla, Quetzal National Monument, Salton Sea, Ocotillo and many more. Many tribal members of the Quetzal reservation as well as neighboring residents opposed to the proposed AI data center because of concerns about potential health impacts, environmental effects, water usage, impacts to culturally significant lands. These concerns extend beyond reservation boundaries and affect the broader Imperial County region. I also want to bring attention to AB 1881, the bill currently under consideration in California. While it has not been enacted, it reflects a growing recognition that California governing bodies should meaningfully consider and protect tribal sacred sites during planning and developmental decisions. As discussions continue regarding AI, data centers, and other large-scale projects, I urge consultation and dialogue regarding sacred sites and tribal sacred sites. These conversations are not only about lands. They are about protecting cultural heritage, preserving our environment, safeguarding limited water resources, and ensuring that native plants and ecosystems can survive the future generations. We should not sacrifice irreplaceable cultural and cultural and environmental resources to short-term gain. Development decisions may be made without having lasting impacts on our communities, our water, and our sacred landscapes. Ms. Pasha, your three minutes are up. Thank you for listening. Thank you. Okay, we need a quick moment to work on a technical issue. If we're able to hear it. There it is. Okay, just to let the audience and the public know, if you're watching online, we are going to need at least a five-minute break to have our IT team come in and try to resolve this. Thank you. Sorry about that. We're ready now. Okay, back to public comment. Yes.
Christian Salgado	3:44:11	Again, my name is Christian Salgado. I want to thank you for allowing me to speak earlier in today's meeting. And prior to giving my position, I want to thank Martha Singh and Mr. Escobar for the dialogue that you provided during the last meeting around the moratorium. I'm here to urge you to vote yes. On both item A and item B. Both items must be approved together to properly position residents to help develop the safeguards needed to protect our communities. If item B does not pass, residents will be left in the same position we are in today with data center projects continuing to move forward before appropriate regulations and protections are in place. An advisory committee alone cannot prevent this from happening. It must be accompanied. [turn interrupted: broadcast technical difficulty, 5-10 minute recess; she was called back first and restarted her full comment at about 3:52] All righty, I'll get started. Thank you so much for all your hard work. Good afternoon, chair and members of the board. My name is Christian Salgado. Before I give my position, I'd like to thank again Ms. Singh and Mr. Escobar for the dialoguing leadership that was had last meeting and putting forth the moratorium and continuing that discussion in addition to the ad hoc committee. So today I'm here to urge the board to vote yes on both item A and B. I think it's essential that both items must be approved together to properly position residents to help develop the safeguards needed to protect the communities. If item B does not pass, residents will be left in the same position we are in today with data center projects continuing to move forward before appropriate regulations and protections are in place. An advisory committee alone cannot prevent this from happening. It must be accompanied by the moratorium that will allow the committee's time to do its work and develop meaningful recommendations. I support the creation of a data center advisory committee although it is not a replacement for the broader community involvement. In addition to 19 members appointed to the committee, its meeting should be publicly noticed, agendized, and open to the public. The process should also include an independent facilitator and consensus-building organization that can help guide the discussion, ensure transparency, and encourage meaningful participation for all stakeholders. The data center advisory committee should also have a dedicated page on the Imperial County website that provides residents with access to meeting agendas, minutes, supporting documents, educational resources, and other relevant information. Transparent public access must be prioritized through this process. Furthermore, all recommendations developed by the data center advisory committee should be released for a 30-day public comment period before finalized. After considering the incorporated feedback, the recommendation should be revised as necessary and then move forward to the Board of Supervisors for discussion and consideration. The committee should also be given the adequate amount of time, so I think we need to push that October the 1st, 2026 deadline to January of 2027. During this process, the moratorium should remain in place. Therefore, it'll be necessary that the board extends the interim ordinance to ensure that these projects move forward responsibly. Furthermore, the proposed moratorium fails to achieve the full purpose. I think it should include just completely voiding the Imperial Valley computing computer manufacturing data center and the Mesquite data center. In addition, what else do I want to ask? I want to make it clear that the developer... Oh yeah, this is for you guys. So I want to make sure and clear to the developers and financiers in this room that the data centers will not be successful in Imperial County and that the Imperial County data center sham is example of what to expect if you do business in Imperial County. It is not because residents oppose data centers, it is because the Board of Supervisors has neglected for months to do the right thing by enforcing respectable data center development. That's all we're asking for is CEQA. Now we're having to get to a ban because we can't trust our local governance to do the right thing. So again, I look forward to applying and being part of this committee. Thank you.
Rodney Williams	3:55:52	Good afternoon, Chairwoman Price and the board of directors. I appreciate the time and the opportunity to be able to come and speak once again to you. I'm Rodney Williams. I am a resident of Yuma where all your septic waste and water contamination caused by that is all being sent from Imperial County at this time. I did have to sell a home because my water got too high in uranium and radioactive particles. I had to move from there. Just a side note. I want to speak. I'm a landowner in the Mesquite Lake Pacific plant area. Have one of the old biomass plants. My partner, Mr. Bob Bradley, owns the other biomass plant. We have 160 acres of MI3 zone property. We both have been working. I've owned the property for 14 years. And I've tried numerous types of developments. Had the funding to put it all back online in 2015. Could not get a power purchase agreement through IID for renewable energy for a reasonable amount. So I fought all the battles in Imperial County. I love to work here. I've been here since 1973. I've been here since the beginning of my career. I've worked many, many years in the grain harvesting business. I've farmed up on the north end. I cleaned up the IID's mess on 4,000 acres of ground and got it productive. And then they got that sold and cleared the bonds. That was the sale that cleared the bonds for the IID on that land. I'm here to oppose what you're voting on today. You know, we've spent millions of dollars invested in Imperial County. And I know that it's a sensitive issue because of the first location that was located probably was not the very best location. When there's 11 square miles of ground that was set out in the Mesquite Pacific plan area for industrial development. 20,000 acres. That's a lot of land. We've had to do that 20 years ago. But the county and the IID could never get on the same page and bring the utilities to that area. So we've had to do that ourselves. I now have the ability to put my own generation capacity in. Have worked through, spent thousands on the natural gas letter of intent. We want to help the county. But we can't help the county under the current situations because we have.
Nick Gumbleton	4:08:20	My name's Nick Gomilton. I'm with LAUNA Laborers Local 1184. I want to begin by saying that I support the creation of the Data Center Advisory Committee. Establishing clear guidelines, reasonable standards and a transparent process for future projects is good government. It provides certainty for residents, developers and decision making alike. The agenda before you specifically proposes a committee to evaluate land use, zoning, zoning, policy options, and related to data center development in Imperial County, that is a responsible step forward. However, I urge the board to reject the proposed moratorium. A moratorium sends the wrong message at the wrong time. It tells investors, employers, and industries looking at Imperial County that even when they're willing to listen, adapt, and work with the community, they still may be told no and take their investment somewhere else. Imperial County has struggled with high employment and limited economic opportunities for decades. Data centers represent billions of dollars in private investment, significant construction employment, and millions of dollars in ongoing tax revenue that can help fund public services, infrastructure, and local priorities. Multiple proposals being discussed in the region project, multiple proposals being discussed in the region project sustainable construction jobs and long-term tax revenue for the Imperial County. The developer has heard the concerns of the community. They have moved the project farther from residential neighborhoods, added community benefits, and demonstrated the importance of the project. They have created a willingness to engage with stakeholders and make changes. That is exactly the type of behavior a government should encourage, not punish. If developers are willing to listen, adjust their plans, and address community concerns, then we should continue the conversation, not shut the door. The advisory committee can do its work while responsible projects continue to move forward. The two goals are not mutually exclusive. We can establish better guidelines without freezing economic development. A moratorium does not create a single job. It does not generate a dollar of tax revenue. It does not improve our economy. It simply pushes opportunity, investment, and good-paying construction jobs to another county or another state. Let's demand accountability. Let's protect our communities, but let's also keep the Imperial County open for business and open for opportunity. Thank you. Thank you. Reina Adame. Anait Araiza. Claudia Contreras-Harrington. Robert Garcia.
Robert Garcia	4:11:07	My name is Robert Garcia. I'm a citizen from Brawley. I just wanted to come up today to speak to support the ad hoc committee and then the moratorium. I asked, though, that if you guys have that ad hoc committee, if you guys could just exclude certain people from being on it, people that have economic interests in it, and then also maybe if you could round it up to 20 just to make it a fair shot for every city in the county. In terms of the moratorium, I just ask that you all be on board. I just want to make sure that you guys revisit the language that leaves any loopholes open for, like, I wish there was a CEQA verbiage in there. I actually wish that the moratorium was a little bit longer, but I understand that it has to follow its process and then be extended. So I do appreciate that you guys are at least trying, but I think that there's a lot of room for improvement. And then also if you guys could just continue to look into the health impacts that data centers have. I'm reading now that they're finding that data centers that are near farming are not actually helping communities, that the livestock are having trouble reproducing, as well as even data centers that are located near people's homes. It's creating insomnia, headaches, constant nausea. So maybe if on this ad hoc advisory committee, if we could have someone that is, like, a health professional that would be able to reach out to these counties that already have established data centers to follow up on that type of research, as well as from an agricultural standpoint as well. Thank you all so much for joining us today to join us today for those così Field 例えば fikétait کہ 쏟 Ond Doy 놓jing Nissancents tijdPart別 줘
Rami	4:13:16	Chairwomen, members of the board, my name is Rami. Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am an infrastructure developer, and I'm actually here today, and I'm here to say I do support the moratorium, not because of the environmental impacts or the health impacts, which can't be ignored. The earth does belong to all of us, and I understand that it needs to be protected and respected, and if the community are concerned, that does need to be addressed. I do think, however, data centers have a similar or less impact than other approved uses. In the area, and that's something to legally consider. Data centers themselves actually don't produce emissions. They might have a bit of noise, which does, there are mitigations in place that you can actually implement. Water usage, nowadays, modern data centers use closed loop cooling systems, so significantly less than what traditionally is. Traditionally, those hyperscale and those old data centers have been using to dry up the land, which is not something any of us want or need. But again, these are mitigations that are in place that can actually be less of an impact than other current uses, including farming. Sorry to say it. I know people are tired and frustrated with this conversation, but the dialogue does have to continue, quite frankly. There is an opportunity here and you've got to explore it all. In terms of disasters, if anyone ... I've done quite a bit of research. If anyone can name a disaster. I don't mean this facetiously, but if anyone can name a disaster that's occurred due to data centers, please let me know. The actual health impacts ... Okay. I'm happy to talk to you about it. Yes? You know, the health impact is something that needs to be discussed during this moratorium. But quite frankly, if you have evidence or you have concerns, they should be brought forward, both sides. If you have questions, ask them. The county does have a duty to sustain and improve the environment and the social and economic standing of the land, and there is a way to do that, and that would be through taxation. People aren't so sure how that would happen, but it's been done. It's been done. Up north, you can put special levies on income for – and it would go towards school districts or mental health facilities, and these are tangible assets that you can actually implement. And that's it. Can I have a minute, sir? Thank you. Thank you.
Andy Schwartz	4:16:32	My name's Andy Schwartz. I'm president of Imperial County Building and Construction Trades Council and also a business representative for the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 12. I understand that it's going to be a tough time going forward. We do support this agenda item. And – We'll be there to help out however we can. Thank you very much.
Tom DeBose	4:17:33	Good afternoon. Tom DeBose, DeBose Design Group. I'll just start off the top. We're okay – I'm okay with developing a committee. I feel like economic development should also be represented on that committee. I am not in favor of – of – of developing a committee. of your moratorium, we see a problem in the way it's drafted, and so we're opposing our objection. We think that there's an issue there. I want to say that the bid opening here earlier today was very humbling. In a building in the 80s that the county built to attract the conveyor division of General Dynamics to create jobs here, and then when they finished, General Dynamics came back to rent that building full price to create jobs for a long period of time, and that facility and the best we could get was a thousand, a thousand dollars a month. That's very humbling. It should be a very clear message of where we stand in this county and how we may or may not be able to grow. We've talked about energy, and in Imperial County, we pride ourselves in being able to create renewable energy with geothermal, solar battery, but who is it going to serve? Most of it is served outside of this county, and so the construction jobs are outside. The construction jobs are outside of this county, and the property taxes outside this county, and the sales taxes outside this county. We have the ability and we have the opportunity to make that happen here. We talked about the shift of power that our local district sells outside of this county, and this first project would completely bounce that back to where it would be 65 percent of the total energy that we would be able to generate. The energy that IID sold would be here in this county, not in another county where they can have the jobs and create the taxes. I think you've visited the sites, and I think you can determine whether or not the social media information is accurate or not. Do we support keeping jobs local? Do we support creating our energy and using it local? Do we support the jobs? Do we support keeping the revenue from the jobs? Do we support being able to raise the property taxes and the values? I ask this last question. If and when the time comes that you leave, how do you feel about how you left this county versus how you came into it? Thank you.
Rene Felix	4:22:17	My name is Rene Felix, and I'm here on behalf of the Imperial County Building and Construction Straits Council. We support the proposed 45-day moratorium and the creation of the Data Center Advisory Committee. This process gives residents, stakeholders, and community organizations an opportunity to share their perspectives and help shape policies that reflect the needs and values of the Imperial County. We believe this approach will create a strong foundation for future decision-making and help establish a responsible pathway for data center development that balances community interest, environmental considerations, strong labor standards, and economic opportunities. Thank you.
Mario Lugo	4:28:55	My name is Mario Lugo. This is my first time in this chamber, and I'm sure a lot of the people here is also their first time. Since this data center business started, there's been lots of talk about the future of the county, and its youth, and the opportunities they'll have available. So I want to speak as an actual young person, in this community. I don't want a data center. All the people I talk to don't want data centers. The community doesn't want a data center. This project has been sold to us as progress and innovation, finally coming into a place that is often thought about, as stunted and stuck in the past. But I want to ask, whose progress is this? Who is this innovation really for? Is it for the people of the Imperial Valley? Is it really for its youth? Are air and water as polluted enough as it is? Or utility bills are high enough? If this data center comes to be, I don't foresee a healthy valley for its citizens, but instead a scarred valley, where its citizens won't be able to afford their homes anymore. This seems short-sighted at best, and malicious at worst. I am not a Luddite. This is not about feuding technology, or feuding progress, or feuding the future. This is about taking care of my home. Where I'm standing from, this data center is not for me, or my friends, or my family, or my community. Where I'm standing from, this only benefits private interests and corporations foreign to the valley. It's not going to enrich the future generations of the valley. It's only going to enrich the future CEOs and shareholders who'll never set foot here. So I hope you'll do what's right for the county, its people, and its youth. And impose not only a moratorium on this data center, but an outright ban. Thank you. Thank you.
Cherie Cabral	4:30:51	My name is Cherie Cabral. I represent the California Construction Labor Management Trust, which is a coalition comprised of labor, representing 500,000 members across the state, along with about 100,000 apprentices, along with the construction employers for all of those crafts, and representatives from the environmental and the energy community in total. We're respectfully asking you to approve item 16A as it is. That would be the advisory committee. We actually believe that we support this, and it's a functional positive thing. However, we are not in support of 16B, which would be the moratorium. Government Code Section 65858 does permit implementation of an urgency ordinance. However, precedent requires that there be a threat, an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare, and that threat must be both current and imminent. The California Appellate Court found in 1999 that simply having filed permit applications did not meet the standard for imminent, as the agency retains the discretion to either hold or delay approval of any application, even pending changes to the governing ordinance or building standards. The County of Los Angeles and the County of San Diego at this time both are currently going through community outreach engagements similar to what you would be doing through your advisory board. However, they have found that, despite the fact that there is not an imminent threat, and so they are not doing a moratorium as part of that, and I think that's a model that is replicable here in a very positive format. Responsible development should always contemplate how best to meet the needs of local community while building the long-term needs of essential to support that fiscal, social, and environmental health of the community and ensure equality of access. Data centers can be built sustainably using technology that's continually evolving, focused on high environmental and innovation standards, while generating both long-term and short-term economic and social benefits for the community and its residents. Tax revenue, improved infrastructure, and locally focused opportunities for employment. I want to actually point out two communities, Prineville and the City of Boardman. Both are rural communities. Both are predominantly agricultural. Both are within the sphere of influence for active Native American tribal communities. Boardman has a population of about 5,000 people, predominantly alfalfa, wheat, and pigs. Prineville was completely dependent on cattle ranching and timber extraction. Boardman has been financially challenged for decades. Little to no employment. A poverty rate that exceeds 20%. Prineville isn't about the same thing. However, Boardman currently today gets $49 million a year in tax revenue. They have new schools. The poverty rate has declined, much like in Prineville, 8% per annum year over year. And so, the tax revenue is going to be going to be higher than the average wage. And the mean wage, average wage has gone up by 108% in that same time period. So, to say there's nothing good about data centers, I think there's plenty for the county to contemplate.
Kylie Cabral	4:34:22	My name is Kylie Cabral. Today I'm here on behalf of the member contractors of the Western Steel Council. We represent the contractors who erect, build, and fabricate structural and reinforcing steel on construction projects across all of California. I want to say the Western Steel Council does support the implementation of item 16A today, that data center advisory committee. We believe that data centers in Imperial County should be environmentally friendly. We believe as well as all construction projects that they should be built in a responsible manner. This includes using the most advanced technology available, using contractors with successful track records of delivering projects on time to a high safety standard, and using a skilled and trained local workforce here in Imperial. We do not, however, support the implementation of item 16B, the moratorium of any length on data centers. The implementation of this moratorium is not necessary to move forward with the work of a data center advisory committee in Imperial. This board has the ability to apply and amend standards or defer approvals on any applications until such time as any amendments to standards are established. As part of the business community, we believe there are significant benefits associated with responsible development of data centers, as I mentioned, just as with any other developments. Data centers are going to be built. We are a society that is increasingly dependent on technology. That is a fact. It's not going to go away or change. And therefore, technology needs data centers to function. And data centers can come in all sizes. They range typically from 150 to 500,000 square feet. This is about the size of your typical local Home Depot or Costco. It's not really that much different than what you're already seeing in your communities. They serve numerous end users. Almost everybody sitting in this room is going to have a use for a data center. Ultimately, Imperial County has the ability to craft a policy that will keep the jobs associated with their construction, their maintenance, and their operation local and provide business opportunities and have the local community benefit from their tax revenue. We would encourage the board to not send developers the message that Imperial County is closed for business by implementing a moratorium. Thank you for your consideration.
Anthony Ralph	4:43:38	Good afternoon, County Board of Supervisors. My name is Anthony Ralph. I'm the Vice Chair with the Boulevard Planning Group. I'm with DFLUX San Diego and I'm here today to ask a couple of crucial questions that I've been neglected from this conversation. If the job is to be a job that is for people in this area for this project, then how come the workers at the meeting for the parcel merger two months ago were largely people that were bused in from out of town? How come they admitted to us in the parking lot that they were paid to be at that meeting? And how come they hadn't been at the meeting subsequently since then? How come they're only here when y'all are making voting decisions when this is actually going, when this is actually moving out ahead, when it's finally coming to a standstill, this is when they appear and they appear, making factually incorrect claims. One of them actually, he said that there is no disasters going on in AI data centers. I just Googled really quickly to verify his claims. There are disasters happening in New Hampshire. There are disasters happening in Georgia. There are disasters happening in Maricopa County in Arizona. There are disasters happening all over the United States due to AI data centers, due to water usage. I went out to move my car because I'm in a two-hour loading zone right now. When I went out to move my car, it was a hundred percent water. I was in a parking lot and it was 115 degrees in the parking lot. We're putting AI data centers that are notorious for their water consumption, for their water use. I've been here to testify how it will affect the aqueducts further up the mountain where I live. Now, AI data centers, which are notorious for their water use, we're talking about putting one in an area where it's currently 115 degrees outside. What's that going to do to the environment? I keep hearing conversations centered around economy, centered around jobs, centered around economic opportunity, centered around write-offs and benefits and financial incentives that could motivate this county or should be motivating the interests of this county. This county needs to start thinking about the fact that we're living in the sixth mass extinction event on earth. There are 10 to 150 insects animals that are going extinct every single day and not a single person in this not a single person on this County Board of Supervisors not a single person in this room has talked about the massive environmental consequences on during the sixth extinction level event on the earth. I'm not making this up Google this ask any one of the environmental groups that are they're talking they're raising the issues that are raising awareness on this issue and they'll tell you the exact same thing this is not hyperbole this is not an exaggeration this is an emergency and to the gal who was speaking earlier who was saying something about within what she said right now when she said saying this does not qualify as an emergency and therefore the county is granted a special exemption. I'm sorry, that is ludicrous. We need to wake up to the reality of the earth that we're living on. We're dealing with a supercharged El Nino event that's threatening to hit us this winter. Climate catastrophe is on its way. Let's be prepared. Thank you.
Gilberto Manzanares	4:46:59	Good afternoon. Well, first of all, I'm actually just surprised that we're having this meeting today, right? We wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for the people. Let's be clear, this county was not about to do this on their own, okay? It took seven months, and that's incredible, of people asking days off work. I lost count how many days I took off work to be here because this county refused to have these meetings which overwhelmingly, as you all cannot deny, have gathered an increased attention from the community. This shouldn't have happened at 10 a.m. It shouldn't have taken us five hours to finally have this discussion. This needed to happen after 6 p.m. on any day of the week. It should have been a special meeting. The one time, let me remind you, the one time that this county allowed us to finally hold this meeting about data centers at 6 p.m., how full was this room? Don't forget that image. This room and that one and that building was full. First of all, let me just set it in the record. It's a disgrace that we're even having this conversation of a moratorium finally after seven months in working hours. That's one. Two. I want to appreciate that at least Supervisor Peggy Price and Martha Cousins-Lasin have had the honesty to tell us that they didn't know what a data center was before being elected. I can appreciate the honesty, honestly, because many of us did not know. So this is why a moratorium like you're proposing is needed because I, however, approving the committee but not the moratorium is some of the dumbest things I've heard, honestly. I just recently took my CPR certification, the renewal again, and when I heard these comments, oh, approve this but not the moratorium, imagine if I would have taken my CPR test on an actual choking victim, right? So, Mr. Kelly, you were a firefighter. I imagine, I hope not, that it wasn't the case during your training. It was during an actual live burning building. I hope that it wasn't the case, right? You need the committee, which quite frankly, I'm a little bit on the edge of, but I'm not going to do that. But it was really hard for us to listen to all your thoughts about but you also do need the moratorium. And it is an emergency because how many projects are there? Right? We started, it was one neighborhood. And because this county refused to finally just, you know, take consideration, take time, please the moratorium, let's talk about things. Now you're hearing data center bans. If you're hearing data center bans and it's making you nervous because increasingly more and more people are calling for that. you have no one to blame but yourself. Because all people wanted at first, let me remind you, was CEQA. That's all people wanted. People wanted CEQA and now you're hearing bands, and that's up to you. Thank you so much. Female Speaker 1 and audience applause
Kelly Jordan	4:53:50	Okay. Good afternoon my name is Kelly Jordan I support agenda item 16. Yes. Can you hear me? Ms. Jordan you have your Granicus live stream on that's why you're hearing the the back end of the meeting you need to mute and then just stay on zoom. You should have a second window open that has live manager your your live stream you need to mute that you need to you need to pause that stream. Do you guys like to record it? Ms. Jordan once you mute the live stream on Granicus come back up to zoom and you'll be okay to give up your three minutes.
Zulma Aguilar	4:56:54	Hi, guys. I'm Zulma Aguilar. I'm from Calexico. And there is no such thing as a good data center. There is no such thing as a responsible data center project. Steve Rucci, the guy that's proposing the data centers, lives in Huntington Beach. His family will never live in Imperial County. They will only benefit economically, and they're probably lining your pockets to pass this forward. But let me tell you something. You take the coins now, but you're going to regret it in the future generations when you can't even have children because of the data centers causing major defects to your genetics. So Steve Rucci will not be raising his kids in Imperial County. He will not be hiring. He will not be hiring Imperial County workers. The data centers just rape the land, water, and electrical resources and leave us with tech trash. Get out of here, Steve Rucci. Not in a community where we are 99% Mexican-Americans. Steve Rucci, you don't even go here. You don't even live here. And you're not going to build a house? Ms. Aguilar, if you could stick to the board item in front of you, which is a resolution of the data center advisory committee along with an urgency interim ordinance. Please. Yeah. Of course I support the moratorium. But I think it should be permanent. And these county board supervisors need to listen to the voices of the Mexican-Americans actually living here who are going to have children here, who drink the water here, who pay IID here. IID is going to benefit from this. OK? They're going to exploit us. And they're going to keep taking all our money and raise the prices of the IID. and we're sick of it we're sick of it get rid of these data centers and you guys better support the community's response to these ridiculous proposal from people from Orange County why don't they build in Orange County go and build over there next to Colby's house why are you trying to build in our community these are irrigation if you could come back to the board item please that you're making the public comment on listen it is relevant bottom line is that this person is not even from here and they're trying to propose a data center that does not belong here go and google Erin Brockovich she is fighting data centers all over the nation because of what is happening in terms of environmental consequences google it people data centers are bad for the environment and they're bad for Imperial County and whoever supports it is gonna get voted out period thank you miss Aguilar sure would you like me to try the next Kelly Jordan miss Jordan can you hear us yes can you hear me yes your three minutes are okay Kelly Jordan I support agenda item 16 but I want to be clear I believe this board should ultimately move toward an outright ban on hyperscale AI data centers in Imperial County the reason is simple these projects ask our communities to assume enormous risk in exchange for benefits that remain largely speculative we keep hearing about economic development jobs and tax revenue and we're not going to be able to do that without the support of the board and the board's coaches worth Anthony contre Jah ilgili any of those needs. Its purpose is to provide computing power for private corporations. So why should the residents of Imperial County bear the environmental infrastructure and public safety burdens of these facilities while the overwhelming majority of the benefits leave our community? Supporters tell us to trust that impacts will be minimal. And as I've stated before, trust is not evidence, promises are not proof. Records from the county do not demonstrate that our emergency responders have the staffing, training, equipment, or resources necessary to safely respond to large scale battery storage fires or other industrial emergencies associated with hyperscale AI data centers. It does not demonstrate that cumulative impacts have been adequately addressed. It does not demonstrate that facilities of this magnitude belong next to homes, schools, and growing residential neighborhoods. The scale of these are not comparable to ordinary development projects. The current Atten and Clark project is promoted as the largest hyperscale facility ever proposed in California. The magnitude of these projects deserves careful evaluation, meaningful public participation, and clear policy direction before they move forward. That's why a moratorium is necessary. But if after that evaluation the evidence continues pointing out where it points today, this board should have the courage to do more than pause these projects. It should prohibit them. And importantly, approving the advisory committee without approving a moratorium would undermine the committee's purpose. So vote yes on 16A and 16B. Thank you. Mr. West, can you hear us? I can hear you. Can you hear me now? Yes, perfect. Go ahead. Excellent.
Mark West	5:03:23	My name is Mark West, and I serve as the chapter director for Sierra Club for San Diego and Imperial counties. And I represent the over 9,000 members throughout the two counties. We appreciate the board's decision to take a thoughtful approach to data center development through a temporary moratorium and a stakeholder process to evaluate potential future policy changes. As we understand it, the action before you today is not an amendment to the county's development standards or guidelines. Instead, it is a proposal for the 45-day moratorium on new data center approvals, along with the creation of a diverse stakeholder panel that will study the issue and make recommendations to the board regarding potential changes to county plans and ordinances, including the general plan. Sierra Club supports a transparent planning process and fully considers environmental impacts and provides meaningful opportunities for public participation. We also support the role of CEQA in ensuring that decision makers and the public have the information necessary to understand the consequences of land use and development decisions for those decisions are made. The proposed moratorium is broad in scope, temporary, and will continue to be implemented. Easy settlement assessment participants live belowische Nah genius SLे quase 例えば Mort Hoo!, rokман primitive opportunity to participate in the conversation about how and where such facilities may be developed we are encouraged the proposed stakeholder panel includes representatives from the corporate cities unincorporated communities nonprofits education healthcare business and the energy sector as this process moves forward we urge the board to ensure that environmental considerations community perspectives and public transport transparency remains central to the panel's work in any recommendations that may emerge ultimately Sierra Club supports a process that protects public that provides protected public participation respects CEQA and carefully evaluates environmental impacts before future policy decisions are made we encourage the board to maintain those principles throughout this effort thank you for your time and have a great afternoon
Reyna Adame	1:09:53	Good morning. I just want to talk about something real quick before I get into some of the real substances. Recently, people's retirement funds are being utilized to fund SpaceX and two more AI companies. So for all you guys who actually have retirement funds for 401ks, that's something to be looked into because AI is affecting local communities like ours through taking our land, making our neighborhoods less peaceful. And now it's also coming directly to people's retirement. So I think that's a huge concern. That's how far our companies are really going to go and how far the laws and different things, the NASDAQ law, we can't control that democratically. But here, we can dictate what we want to be built here, and I think we should take that seriously. So I do want to talk about how we do have a lot of constraints here in the Valley, like Brian Kelly would mention, last time I was here. And I thought to myself, it sounds like there's this ultimatum where he's pretty much admitting that we're broke and admitting that the economy that we have here is an economy that takes public resources and turns them into private channels of wealth, and we can't fix that with the agriculture economy. It seems like we're running through all we can do with it. And I think that inviting another industry without actually changing the structure of how we're financing stuff isn't going to change the Valley. So for instance, I would like to see a Lithuanian Valley authority get created so that the... Because we can't take the water away from the farmers. You know, there's so many laws against that. There's no way we could even, like... All those water sales that the IED does, there's no way we could take a portion of that and give it to us here. There's laws that prohibit that, right? So I'm willing to say that we should do something else, like create a Lithuanian Valley authority that says, hey, any company that wants to build here, you have to be in a public-private enterprise with us. Not just good community benefit agreements that I think are too lax. You could just do things that are more so superficial. Like, you could pretend that you're... Not pretend, but you give job training, but that job training takes time. And you need these projects fast. So I just want to see a different mindset, because it just feels like... Living here, it feels like our politicians are feckless. They can't do anything to change. It seems like there's laws in place. Like, I was thinking... I had a paper I had to write at college where I had to pick anything but the Valley. And I wrote about the political economy of the Valley, which had to deal with IED and the farm economy. And it just seems like anything that I could think of as a solution that I've seen other counties do, like a land value tax. Tax the land, not the property. So it promotes... Efficient use of land. That's illegal here in California. The tax law here in California is really strict. So you couldn't do anything about that. And my other plan about the... You know, trying to take some of the funds from the exports from the IED, you can't do that. So it just seems like it's institutionally in place that this county is destined to be poor, destined to be broken, unless we had leaders that were willing to fight with our community. Because I feel like if this whole board was on our side, we would still have an uphill battle. But, you know, none of us... Only a few of us can show suggestions of being on our side. I have a lot of deep apathy for you guys, to be honest. And I feel like it could be changed if you guys define what a hyperscale data center is in comparison to other data centers or server rooms, and then ban hyperscalers. That's all you need to do. You don't need to do this grassroots stuff that I'm talking about. You don't need to challenge the California Constitution. Just define what a hyperscale is and ban it. Thank you. Thank you.
Michelle White	1:16:23	Hello. Thank you for allowing additional time for public comment. My comment is very short. I'm a resident. I'm in Imperial, and this is only the second time coming to these meetings since they're always during work hours and my PTO is limited. However, I do listen to all of the meetings online. The last time I came was to ask you to vote no on the data center lot merger, and my representative wrote an op-ed and called us noise. So I'm here today just to tell you and anybody who may be watching these meetings that we do not want data centers here in Imperial County. None of my family members, friends, neighbors, or anybody I've talked to who doesn't have a direct financial interest want them built here. There may be a misconception that it's only a small group. Opposing the data centers. I just want to clear that up and say that that's not true at all. That small group has taken on the burden of showing up to your 10 a.m. meetings, but they represent the vast majority of those of us who cannot attend. Thank you. Brenda Palomares. Good morning.
Amari Cariotis	3:28:45	Following will be Christopher Scurries. Good afternoon. I sent a 50-page document pertaining to these two items to the clerk to give to the board for consideration. I hope you all have received it. If you haven't, it's forthcoming. Did you also receive the document that says, I received the WSACC resolution in April asking for the data center ban in Imperial County? For Kevin Litkeys. While I support the board's effort to create an advisory committee and adopt a temporary moratorium, I want to be very clear. The moratorium must stop not only new projects, but also currently pending or in-process projects that would otherwise move forward during this study period. The staff reports, responding out milk mint concentrate desires else такая protocols Beni 例えば Kapusta Increasing具estre Janet 例えばesten nice of you to give us deadlines. What I would like to see happen is to protect our communities while the community studies the appropriate land use zoning and policy changes, I urge the board to adopt both items with the following specific safeguards. Advisory Commission gets until the 2027 January. Explicitly include pending projects. The moratorium must apply to all applications and entitlements and not that have not yet been vested. If a project approval is under existing law, stop it until we are done or the community is done giving you a report. Stop the process, the permitting, define vesting and exemptions clearly. Provide precise legal definition of what constitutes a vested right and list any narrow exemptions. For example, emergency repairs or projects with final Inn Jorge並 undergo Federation Alzstedtsuding appearances apply periods checks stamp *鬼 * disappointed in your Ryan. You know better. You were a firefighter. You know what this shit can do to us. Excuse me. You know what this can do. I don't know why. You are all for this with your cousin, your brothers, your family, but it stops. Thank you.
Claudia Sherman	3:59:16	Good afternoon, everyone. Madam Chair, members of the Imperial Valley County Supervisors and everybody else here. here. We shouldn't have been here in the first place. Two weeks ago there was an election. That election actually sent a message, should have been a message to everybody around in the board and to everybody else that we did not want a data center here in Imperial Valley and that accountability must be presented as a way to ensure that we know what is going on. But it didn't. But CEQA must be a way to actually ensure that we know what can happen if the data center were to be developed here. And CEQA was the only thing that is useful in this area. But having the idea of advisory committee is a very important thing. And I think that's a very important thing. I support that because we need to make sure we get all the information and all the facts out there. But having it before an election does not make any sense because we're just going to rush this along and we're not going to have any much time to really put everything and then having an election in November where whoever is in the board, presumably all of you guys as chairs, we don't know who is going to be elected and then we're just going to let them get along with it without even having them consult or even figuring out what is the best way forward. And I believe that an extension having a different deadline for the committee to have its findings rather than October 1st rather than having it into the new year is appropriate because that way all of the members including potential new members depending have the ability to read the findings. Like they got some notes about some things that were happening but and to ensure that they have an idea of what is going on. And because that is important to transparency and accountability here in Imperial Valley. And that is the only thing that matters for everybody here. Because Imperial Valley has not gained that trust ever again. That is all. Hi, Chairman Price, members of the board. I'm Claudia Sherman. I live in Salton City. I actually work for an out of country organization. I actually work in the tech industry. There's this idea that people who are against these data centers are anti-tech and anti-progress. And that's not true. When you actually get up into the higher levels of the tech industry, people are very aware that this is a super mixed bag that's being offered to us. We have enough data centers to run Facebook, to run Netflix, to run Instagram. To do all the fun things we want to do. We even have enough data centers to generate cool pictures of Ryan Kelly flying an F-14 over the Salton Sea, if that's what he wants to do. But what we're building them for now is for things like mass surveillance and training drones to attack people. We recently found out this week that that's what Pokemon Go was for. Pokemon Go, where you scan your surroundings to catch the Pokemon, was used to train drones how to scan to find people. So. We have to ask ourselves, what do we get for this? If we were talking about building a factory that was going to cure cancer and generate unicorns, like yes, let's do it. But we're not getting that. We're getting a really mixed bag of dangerous stuff. When these fail, if it fails, okay. The whole thing right now is a bubble, right? All of these companies are developing these infrastructure based on credit because they're all in a race to reach AGI and then they'll be profitable. Right? They're not profitable right now. And so everybody's got it all on their one marker on their roulette wheel and I'm going to win and that's the only thing that matters. There is no plan for when it doesn't win. There's no plan for who's the second guy, who's the third guy, who's the fourth guy out the gate. And when that happens, communities are left with empty data centers, cloud shells that happen in Quebec. You can look it up. Communities are left with these degrading infrastructures. This isn't going to be like the Spreckels factory. If they can't pay for it, you're going to be stuck with a bunch of garbage and radioactive waste. It's a radioactive material that we can't use. One of the only uses in fact for these after they've been abandoned is for hydroponic gardening. So I don't know. I just, I keep coming back to this, what is it all for? What is it all for? And it's for the money, but money doesn't buy life. Money doesn't bring back fertility to the valley. Once you've ruined it, it's gone. It's lost. And that's what's at stake here. You know, Ruchi talked about, you know, we've done the numbers and it's an acceptable cancer increase. Acceptable cancer risk increase. And I don't think that any risk of cancer increase is acceptable. There's no amount of money that you would take if I could give you cancer right now that you'd be like, that's fine, you know? And last week, you know, Mr. Escobar, two weeks ago, he talked about how we need more millionaires in the valley and we need to compete with China. And that's just tech copium. You guys are, you drank the Kool-Aid, you know? You've been hanging out with these guys and you fell for it. And it's sad to see your county get duped in this way. I'm really embarrassed by it.
Hector Meza	4:23:28	Good afternoon, board. Good afternoon, everybody in the community. First of all, thank you for bringing this. I believe the moratorium and the advisory committee is long overdue. I want to thank you guys for bringing it. I want to thank the community for speaking up. Again, if no one speaks up, we don't fix stuff, right? If something's broken, we try to fix it. I'm here in support of the moratorium of the advisory committee. Also, I want to mention that if there's any way we could also add or make sure that, or maybe that's something the committee is going to do. I'm going to look into to not place any tax breaks for developers. We keep talking about all this money, but we want to make sure that the money stays here. We don't have roads. We don't have bridges. We need firefighters. There's police. We need a lot of stuff here in the valley. We do need some type of development. I'm also going to be applying for the advisory committee. Obviously, if it happens, it happens. Also, I want to make sure that whoever's there studies solutions to the problems. If there's positive or negative, let's all bring it all out. As an electrician, I do believe that technology changes. I've been doing some research, and I know that the current data centers being built are not as water-intensive as the ones in the past few years. There are solutions, and that's because community is speaking up. That's how, like I said, if community doesn't speak out, shit stays the same. Thank you. Thank you. I want to start by saying I support the committee and the moratorium at the start, but I do have a few questions. Some of the questions have been asked. I'm going to start with the question of the moratorium. I don't know if you've been asked, but since they were not yet answered, and I feel the importance of those questions merits my asking them again, I'll once again pose those questions to you. Does the moratorium apply to current and or all future data center projects? Are any of the projects the county knows about but the public doesn't yet know about going to be grandfathered in? Are you going to be giving credits, property tax exemptions or reductions, or any other type of incentives to data center developers? Because now many residents feel that several of you do not vote in the best interest of the many, but vote in the best interest of the many. We will question the best interest of the few who will profit financially from the data centers. Now we are paying attention and we're starting to go out to vote. We will question everything and make sure that everything is done within the letter of the law. We will also broadcast and make as much noise as possible if we see anything questionable. And just know that this will result in higher expenses to any developer, whether it be legal, environmental, or PR. Thank you. Thank you.
Mark Mulliner	4:36:49	Good afternoon, Chairwoman Price, board, staff, Mark Mulliner, California State Building and Construction Trades Council. I just want to start off a little different. I have a different idea about this. I've been working with you for three years. The two newest supervisors, of course, just got started probably in the last year, I think. And at the end of the day, the California State Building Trades recognizes that you put a pause for the betterment of the community and you put a pause because you are listening to the community. And from the California State Building Trades position, that's what the community wanted. That's what you wanted. You've done a good job. Three years it took us to get this done. Three years it took us to get an ordinance approved for Lithium Valley. We all know how long and hard and arduous that was. I surely hope it's not going to take us three years to get everybody to understand the benefit of data centers and building in Imperial County. At the end of the day, the State Building Trades is concerned about labor standards, workers, local community being able to have livable jobs, good jobs. We want their kids, we want their, and I said this two weeks ago, we want their family members, no matter how old they are, to join our unions and to build. We want responsible projects. We don't want projects that are going to undermine or demean the community. We actually, if you'll Google Cure, Coalition of Unions for Reliable Energy, that's us. That's the state building trades, and we have been making projects better for 40 years. And at the end of the day, these are going to get built. We want to build them with the most talented, the highest paid, the highest trained, the best skilled workers in the country, in the world. And that's the power that you have. And that's what people that are just now getting involved with this process, they don't understand. Three years ago, we were over here with the board, and we became right here with the board. And that's where we need to get with data centers. We need to get right here with the board and the community. And we can only do that through the ad hoc committee, through the appropriate people, putting people on an ad hoc committee that are already a no. How do you negotiate to get to a yes if you're already a no? If you haven't opened your mind and your process enough to know that we are going to get to where we need to be together and make them better and make them good projects, that's where we want to be. And that's where this working group is to help bring back. And two weeks ago, you said that. You said, we're going to bring back the people that are going to bring back data and information, and we're going to educate, we're going to work with the community, and prove that these are good projects. The state building trades believes in CEQA. We believe in good projects, we believe in good paying jobs, and we believe in local community. Because our members are from the local community. Thank you.
Misael Arviso	4:50:12	Male Speaker 1 Good afternoon, everyone. I'm glad I made it. I was taking care of my grandparents all day long. But yeah, like many people have said, this is a working class community and you guys have done your best to keep the working class out of it. I literally ran. I literally parked, found a spot. I want to reiterate a band is pro-community because we don't want corporations. We don't want corporations. We don't want big tech out here. It's like you're putting an ice cube in the desert and then you're just paying something to like keep it alive, keep it frozen. It's literally just doesn't make sense. People have said no. And the committee is very small for the people that have majority have a post, right? So, a committee isn't really necessary. You notice when people say I'm pro data center, no one collapse, right? And people online are watching. Trust me. I was watching. I'm just saying. I suggest that you guys put a ban, not a moratorium, a ban. People are going to die. There's going to be an ecology. We have native species that live around this area, deserts. We don't want to destroy the Colorado supply that we have. . And it's all made up. Profit is not the priority. The community should always be priority. El Paso is going through it. META wanted to step in, $10 billion, no different, right? And how did it end? Vote them out, vote them out. Like, you guys aren't fighting one community. You're fighting a whole nation of citizens, fighting this whole movement. So, once a las pilas, thank you, Ms. Marta, for everything. Mr. Kelly, your family profits off the incarceration of Native people of America. It's disgusting that we have to fight. And we have to be very polite and come every Tuesday and work around your schedules, but you guys could easily just push this out. We don't want this here. So, if you want the Salton Sea to dry out more and more people to get sick, more asthma to be around, go ahead, right? But history is being written as we speak. Pick a side. You're on the right side of history or whatever, right? I'm rambling, but I'm glad for everyone showing up. I know there's thousands of people watching. Maybe not right now. They're going to watch in a day or two online, right? But I hope you guys vote on what the community have been expecting you guys to vote on properly. Thank you. Gracias.
Jake Tison	0:59:54	Good morning, Board, audience. I'm Jake Tyson. I'm calling for the resignation of Supervisor John Hawk, Supervisor Ryan Kelly, Chair Peggy Price, Supervisor Jesus Escobar, County CEO Dr. Kathleen Lange, Assistant County Executive Officer Barry Beane, and Planning Directors Jim Minnick and Michael Abraham. This is no longer just about a data center. This is about public trust. And Bureau County residents have been asking serious questions about air quality. Water generators, fire risk, the power grid, CEQA, public records, and taxpayer dollars. And instead of giving this community clear answers, county leadership has continued pushing data centers forward while facing lawsuits and public outrage. Yeah, so public records and county emails have exposed what residents were never told clearly. Dr. Kathleen Lange requested GIS analysis connected to Atten and Clark Project that provided catastrophic risk to citizens of this valley. You know, Barry Beane was involved in strategic discussions with developer-side consultant Tom DeBose. Jim Minnick was emailed directly on a Sunday where DeBose warned that the fur is flying. And what followed was the county treating a massive data center grading permit as ministerial, as if this was just routine paperwork. And we're in court for it right now. Again, we have one day left. We have one data center and two court cases. That is the problem. Now you are spending taxpayer dollars defending this agenda in court, promoting this agenda in public, and even traveling to compare Imperial Valley to Loudoun County, Virginia. A place already dealing with data center noise, air contamination, transmission lines, substations, water pollution, grid strain, and resident backlash. That is not leadership. That is a warning sign you refuse to read. Our tax dollars should not be used to clean up private strategy. They should not be used to defend backroom decisions. They should not be used to protect billion-dollar developers while residents are left fighting for clean air, water, transparency, and basic respect. Imperial Valley deserves leaders who protect the people, not leaders who hide behind paperwork after the damage is already in motion. We are way beyond taxation without representation here. Way beyond it. So today, I'm asking clearly and publicly, John Hawk, Ryan Kelly, Peggy Price, Jesus Escobar, Dr. Kathleen Lang, Barry Beane, Jim Minnick, and Michael Abraham, resign. Step aside. Step aside so Imperial County can rebuild trust, restore transparency, and finally put the people in the right place. We are the people first.

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