Rep. Ruiz calls for a freeze on local data center projects, citing environmental and economic risks
U.S. Representative Dr. Raúl Ruiz (D-CA) called for an immediate halt to proposed data center projects in his district, voicing sharp concerns over their potential impact on local utility costs, power grid stability, and public health. In a video statement released last week, Ruiz—a physician who represents California’s 25th congressional district, encompassing parts of the Imperial Valley and Eastern Riverside County—argued that the massive energy and water demands of these facilities pose an undue burden on an already vulnerable region. … The environmental footprint of these facilities extends to water consumption. Many data centers utilize evaporative cooling systems that consume millions of gallons of water daily—a logistics challenge that Ruiz argues is unsustainable given the state’s hydrology.
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