Letter to the Editor: Ask your Mendocino County supervisor to vote for a moratorium on data center construction

Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com. 

Dear Editor:

Our District 3 Supervisor John Haschak has asked for a show of support for a proposed moratorium on the construction of AI data centers in Mendocino County. Co-sponsored with Ted Williams, the moratorium ordinance will go up for a vote on Tuesday, Sept. 1, so the other three supervisors must hear from us by then if we are to help oppose the building of data centers in our county.

There is no doubt that AI data centers would have a negative fiscal and environmental impact on all aspects of our lives in Mendocino County. Communities across the country have reported that these centers require exorbitant uses of land, water and electricity, along with noise and visual pollution. We don’t have the water to spare for the immense demand of these projects; we barely have enough to grow our agriculture!

Data centers would raise our already expensive energy bills, deplete our resources, and make us desperate to shut off the incessant noise. More insidious, the original zoning permit requests are often followed by unanticipated expanded use requests, all leading to problems for local communities.

Local citizens have successfully stopped or delayed dozens of data center projects across the country. Organized community groups and local pushback have stalled billions of dollars in infrastructure, prompting hundreds of municipalities and several states to enact temporary moratoriums or permanent bans. Widespread outrage has forced state and local politicians to step in with executive orders and emergency moratoriums passed to block speculative builds.

To protect all of Mendocino County, we can reach out to Supervisors Maureen Mulheren (mulherenm@mendocinocounty.gov), Bernie Norvell (norvellb@mendocinocounty.gov), and Madeline Cline (clinem@mendocinocounty.gov) to say we want them to vote yes on this moratorium. Please write to each supervisor individually, and no later than Aug 31! Our communities are counting on you.

More information and research on data centers can be found in the “Fact Sheets” of willitsindivisible.org. Thank you for protecting our resources and our democracy!