The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to allow a developer to purchase public land for a planned $3.6 billion data center just southeast of Tucson, and approved a rezoning of the parcel to allow for the construction project. After being rezoned with a 3-2 vote, the board voted to sell the the 290-acre parcel, which will be acquired by the San Francisco-based developers for nearly $20.8 million. The controversial agenda items passed after dozens spoke in front of the board about what they saw as problems with the planned project, including the large amounts of water and electricity the data center will require. … The developer, San Francisco-based Beale Infrastructure, promises to remain 100 percent sustainable through reclaimed water delivered by a pipeline built at the developer’s expense. They also agree to replenish all potable water used. Despite these promises, much of the public continued to voice their frustration with the potential long-term negative impacts.

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