Imperial County, CA Urgency Interim Moratorium on Data Centers — Adopted June 16, 2026

Imperial County, California's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 16, 2026 to pause new data center development in unincorporated areas for at least 45 days, with the option to extend for up to roughly 11 months. The board simultaneously created a new advisory committee tasked with recommending permanent zoning rules by January 2027. The action came after months of community opposition over energy and water consumption concerns from data center proposals in the desert region.

Technical detail

Urgency interim ordinance (Cal. Gov. Code § 65858), adopted unanimously June 16, 2026 by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors; pauses data center use permits, variances, building permits, and business licenses in unincorporated Imperial County for an initial 45-day term, extendable for 10 months and 15 days. Companion resolution establishes a Data Center Advisory Committee with policy/zoning recommendations due January 2027.

Who is protected: Imperial County residents, ratepayers, and the Imperial Valley desert ecosystem

Who must comply: Data center developers seeking county-level approvals in unincorporated Imperial County

Key facts

Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere

• Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
• Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
• Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
• Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
• WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
• Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect