AI is driving a global data center explosion, and in addition to guzzling our precious drinking water, building new data centers will drive more fossil fuel pollution, and raise electricity costs amid today’s cost-of-living crisis. This rapid deployment of data centers is a massive threat to communities across the country, especially communities like Richmond that are already on the frontlines of industrial and refinery pollution.
As a community on the frontlines of Chevron’s pollution, Richmond residents are ready for bold action to stop data centers! We are organizing to ensure that no plan to build a data center comes to Richmond.
On Tuesday, September 15, Richmond City Council voted to pass a 45-day data center moratorium to halt all potential data center developments.
AI data centers have no place in Richmond! We mobilized dozens of community members to rally and give public comment to support this moratorium. We applaud the Richmond City Council for taking this proactive step to curb the rushed buildout of data centers, and look forward to continue working together to establish permanent protections.
Art by David Solnit and Jackie Fawn commissioned by CBE
California government code allows cities to temporarily pause certain activities for 45 days in response to “a current threat to the public health, safety, or welfare.” This moratorium would be in effect for 45 days, with potential for extensions. CBE is working towards a full ban in Richmond by the end of the year, and a moratorium is an important step in that direction.
Get campaign updates
Sign up to receive CBE’s Richmond newsletter to get updates on our local campaign to stop data centers and more. Make sure to check the box for Richmond when you do! Keep scrolling to check out our upcoming events below.
