Data center moratorium

A retired resident urged the council to protect air, water and farmworker families and said many prefer a permanent ban on data centers rather than another extension.

Speaking for the Western Steel Council, she asked the council to reject the extension, arguing roughly 300 California data centers have operated for decades without the harms cited and that the moratorium's findings don't meet Government Code standards.

Born-and-raised Visalian who said she doesn't just want a pause — the city already knows it doesn't want data centers at all.

UCLA student with Power California warned data centers will raise Central Valley utility bills and urged the council to extend the moratorium and pursue an outright ban.

Central Valley DSA member said data centers' water use threatens the dairy and farm economy his family depends on, plus 24/7 noise.

Said data center noise would ruin the quiet she loves about Visalia and make homes unsellable, as happened in Virginia — hopes the 45-day moratorium becomes permanent.

Went further than the moratorium: wants a total ban to protect water, quiet, and the community's future.

35-year resident with farming/dairy background worried about clean water being diverted to data centers; wants a total ban after the 45 days.

Thanked Poochigian and the council, said data centers read as venture capitalists extracting from the community, and urged continued extensions toward a ban.

Thanked Poochigian for his district's representation and cited reports of Alphabet's AI-related losses to argue data centers are a losing bet for the Central Valley.

Called in to criticize the 15-minute comment limit as unfair to democracy and urged the council to go beyond the moratorium to a permanent ban.

Addington urged support for the data center moratorium discussion, citing studies on air pollution, low-frequency noise harming livestock, and water and electricity demands.

Ortiz warned about closed-loop water systems at data centers, saying biocides and corrosion inhibitors can never be fully filtered from wastewater that would return to rivers and drinking water.

Yeranas cited rising energy demand and health harms from backup generator emissions, plus water use examples from Oregon and Meta, urging the council to think of future generations.

Smyers, a Tulare resident, said a data center would cost agricultural jobs and cited a Virginia study on health costs and premature deaths near data centers.

Moore, a Visalia mom, spoke emotionally about noise below 50 decibels affecting her autistic son's sleep and asked the council to set a precedent keeping data centers out.

Kimball, an artist, said a data center would discourage the arts and generative shift, take farm jobs, and harm the environment in the Central Valley.

Guillen, a Tulare County retiree, read testimony about farmworker families, unhealthy air, and groundwater stress, saying progress should never require one community to sacrifice health.

Ortiz, a Porterville college student, cited water contamination, dry wells, and health harms in other states and demanded full environmental review before any data center approval.

Brooks, an 18-year Visalia parent, noted Visalia ranks among the most polluted US metro areas and urged support for the moratorium and full CEQA compliance and independent review.

Calling in, Carroll echoed prior speakers, pointing to water contamination risks, the 100-year lease proposal, blackout warnings, and NDAs, and asked the council to support the moratorium.