BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Concerns are mounting over a proposed data center in Inyokern, with local aviation and military officials warning the project could affect airport operations and the China Lake test range.
In June, the Inyokern Airport sent a letter of concern to the Kern County Board of Supervisors, the Kern County Planning and Natural Resource Department, and the California Energy Commission.
The airport wrote, “Based on information available to the district, the project will introduce new industrial-scale operations that may present potential impacts to aviation safety, navigable airspace, and the airports.”
Inyokern Airport joins opposition to proposed data center, citing community impacts (FILE)
The nearby China Lake Naval Base also submitted a letter of concern, writing, “The facility’s cooling system and forty diesel generators will generate a considerable thermal plume which prevailing winds will likely transport over the NAWS China Lake test range.”
The project developer is pursuing a “small power plant exemption,” which, if granted, would limit the California Energy Commission’s environmental review to the project’s backup power generation.
Tammy Bouyer, with Taxpayers for Accountability for Our Groundwater, said the California Energy Commission has sought additional information from the developer.
“But the CEC, the California Energy Commission, sent the developer a 30-page data request. So, it talks about things like water concerns you know, we’re in a critically over-drafted area,” Bouyer said.
Bouyer said she wants to make sure community concerns are taken seriously by the California Energy Commission.
Inyokern Airport joins opposition to proposed data center, citing community impacts (WBMA / SBG)
The California Energy Commission said it is encouraging public input, adding, “The CEC’s role is to listen to and carefully review all comments and concerns as we develop our analysis of the backup generation for this project.”
Bouyer said additional comments from local agencies and residents can bring more scrutiny to the proposal.
“Even though all these people, even the city of Ridgecrest has agreed to submit, you know, comments, it just allows the CEC to put more eyes on it. Like, why are all these people submitting these comments? What’s going on? What are the concerns? And data centers haven’t been around very long,” she said.
Bouyer also urged caution about where data centers are built as artificial intelligence expands.
Inyokern Airport joins opposition to proposed data center, citing community impacts (Photo by Noah Berger/Getty Images via Amazon Web Services)
“You know, again, no one is opposing AI. No one is opposing a data center. It’s just where’s the best place to put it? And we don’t believe that that is the best place to put it,” she said.