As data centers are on the rise, the Central Valley is facing several proposals, including the two for Inyokern and Taft, along with two centers being proposed in Kings and Tulare Counties.
During the Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting, Jennifer Slayton, a Ridgecrest community member, asked the board to set county guidelines for building data centers.
Concerns about a proposed artificial intelligence data center in Inyokern drew a packed crowd to Wednesday’s Ridgecrest City Council meeting, where residents warned that the project could strain local water supplies, increase energy demands, and reshape the future of the Indian Wells Valley.