Pittsburg residents voice frustration over approved data center

Hundreds of Pittsburg residents packed city hall Monday night to oppose a previously approved data center, citing environmental concerns and lack of transparency. The project, approved in 2024, is the first phase of a three-phase development in Pittsburg Technology Park, with residents demanding better communication and a moratorium on future phases.

Getting your Trinity Audio //trinityaudio.ai player ready...PITTSBURG — Hundreds packed city hall Monday night to oppose a previously approved data center, voicing concerns over environmental impacts, resource constraints, and what, if any, economic benefits such a project would provide to residents and the city. Approved in 2024, some residents said they had only recently learned about a potential data center that could be built in Pittsburg Technology Park, located along West Leland Road on the former Delta View Golf Course that closed in 2018. Amhari Perkins, a resident who created an online petition opposing the project that has garnered more than 14,200 signatures, said she found out about the data center from a social media post. “Up until that moment, I had no knowledge that this project was planned and already approved. When I learned about it, I was honestly shocked,” said Perkins. “My request tonight is simple: that the concerns of the residents be truly heard, acknowledged, and addressed in a transparent way. Many of us are not asking for conflict. We are asking for communication, clarity, and meaningful engagement.” Some expressed frustration and anger toward city leaders on the lack of transparency and public involvement, while others questioned whether adequate notice had been provided before approvals were granted. City officials previously noted https://www.pittsburgca.gov/services/community-development/planning/advanced-planning-special-projects/pittsburg-technology-park-specific-plan-project that they conducted “extensive research” and held multiple community meetings when the project was first introduced in 2018 and through its approval in late 2024. Pittsburg was sued in 2024 by the Center for Biological Diversity because it approved the project “without considering and planning for its environmental effects, including greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and harms to wildlife and surrounding wetlands,” the group claimed. A year later, the lawsuit was dismissed after an agreement was reached with the city and developers to include environmental protection measures for any data center project, which includes a commitment to use 100% renewable energy, recycled water for cooling, insulated walls, and biological surveys. The data center will be the first of a three-phase development within Pittsburg Technology Park. According to city officials, only phase one has been approved, while future phases “may include further approval processes.” The facility, developed by AVAIO Digital https://www.avaiodigital.com/developments/pittsburg-california , will sit on a 76.4-acre site located on the eastern half of the former golf course, next to the Contra Costa Canal. It is expected to be operational sometime in 2027. Resident and business owner Wolfgang Croskey urged city leaders to put up adequate notices and information and not allow phases two or three of the project to get “quietly signed off behind the counter” via the zoning administrator process. “A project this size goes to the planning commission and this council in the open. Put a sign on the land and we’ll believe you want us in the room,” said Croskey. “We’re not here because of a data center, we’re here because of a bad process and I think if we had a different process, people would have more opportunity to voice in a more timely manner, and maybe have different results.” Some urged city leaders to place a two-year moratorium, similar to Oakley, for future phases of data centers and asked for a citizen-based oversight committee. In April, Oakley became the first Bay Area city to impose a 45-day moratorium https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/04/15/oakley-oks-temporary-ban-on-data-centers-a-first-for-the-bay-area/ on data centers to prohibit the city from accepting, processing, or approving any land use applications for such facilities. In May, the City Council unanimously approved an extension https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/05/19/oakley-extends-ban-on-data-centers/ of the ban, which will now be in place until April 14, 2027. Pittsburg residents questioned if the proposed three-story facility, which requires up to 99 megawatts of power, could place a strain on local infrastructure or contribute to higher utility costs. Some pointed out that data centers could potentially consume high volumes of water, which is challenging in a state such as California that faces persistent drought conditions. Others argued that data centers generate limited job opportunities and that city leaders should focus on bringing recreational facilities for residents instead. Many residents also complained about the noise the facility could generate and questioned the data center’s location, which is about 400 feet from homes and a school. City officials said the project would incorporate “extensive noise mitigation.” Vice Mayor Angelica Lopez said many residents had supported the project in 2024 and added that data centers have been around for decades. “It’s not new, but I do believe that a lot of the panic right now, which is understandable, is because there are AI data centers that are being misused or unregulated throughout the country,” said Lopez on Monday. Residents heckled a visibly upset Lopez as she spoke. Mayor Dionne Adams urged residents to be respectful and not disruptive. “I have death threats directly attacking my family, threatening to show up to my house and gun me down when I have a son. I will not be cowed by your threats. Nor am I anybody’s puppet,” said Lopez. “If you guys want to talk about November, that is perfectly fine. But you don’t threaten my family, and I will continue to serve here and seek the best for the community.” Pittsburg’s Community and Economic Development Director Jordan Davis said power for the project will be supplied by the Pittsburg Power Company. The tenant of the data center, said Davis, will pay for the energy consumed, and the developer will foot the bill for all required infrastructure upgrades. “These costs will not be distributed among residents. Electric service for this project will not result in increased local rates,” Davis said. The facility is expected to have 37 biodiesel backup generators, which will be air-cooled and utilize recycled water from the Delta Diablo Treatment Plant. According to Davis, the treatment plant produced about 7.5 million gallons of recycled water per day in 2023. “The data center’s recycled water demand is estimated to be only 0.058 mgd — less than 1% of Delta Diablo’s current recycled water output,” he said. The former golf course, said Davis, used about 0.27 million gallons of recycled water per day from the same pipeline. The city said Tuesday it plans to have a workshop regarding the development of data centers https://www.pittsburgca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3690/24 to “allow for additional public engagement.” “The City of Pittsburg remains committed to transparent, accessible processes and will continue to keep the community informed at every step,” said the city in a statement. Residents were encouraged to sign up to receive notifications about the city’s initiatives and projects to “remain engaged in the process” on its website https://www.pittsburgca.gov/government/enews-sign-up .