Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee has approved a proposed 45-day moratorium for new data centers. The ordinance will now advance to the full City Council, which will vote on the proposed moratorium Tuesday, Oct. 6.
The vote comes after growing concerns about a proposal to build a data center in a four-story downtown Oakland office building that used to house a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory supercomputer.
The moratorium would apply to both the development and operation of data centers in the city. The legislation was put forth by District 3 Councilmember and Life Enrichment Committee Chair Carroll Fife.
“I think it’s important for us to pause, particularly in light of the fears and concerns that so many people have, to find out what would be possible in Oakland so we know the appropriate guardrails to put in place,” Fife said.
Fife said constituents are concerned about potential noise pollution, water pollution and increased energy costs.
Fife expressed her hope for passing the moratorium. However, she noted the legislation’s need for a supermajority of seven votes — as opposed to the usual five — in order to pass due to the resolution being an urgency motion.
“The bottom line for me is looking at the future,” said District 5 Councilmember Noel Gallo. “Looking at the future in terms of what land is available within the city of Oakland for us to invest in or to do business with that will get the greatest return.”
Gallo voiced his support for the moratorium but said he needed more information to come to an opinion on a permanent ban. He cited both environmental and economic concerns.
Gallo emphasized the importance of looking into the implications of data centers on Oakland, the larger Bay Area and coming generations.
“I don’t want anything for the city that causes more harm than good,” said District 4 Councilmember Janani Ramachandran. “We want industries that create jobs for open residents — and good-paying jobs — and economic opportunities and ways to fill up our vacant storefronts.”
Ramachandran said she supports the moratorium because she hopes it will provide the city time to get more information on how data centers will impact constituents. Ramachandran also noted that for a more permanent ban to take effect, the Oakland City Council would have to put forth a separate motion later on.
In a press release, Ramachandran pointed to other Bay Area cities — such as San Francisco, Richmond and Hayward — pushing for moratoriums on data centers. She also noted a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday that requires data centers to provide their expected water use, water source and maximum use volume.
“Implementing a moratorium will give us time as a City to study the environmental and economic impacts of AI data centers, modernize our laws to keep pace with advancements in technology, and establish guardrails to help keep our communities safe,” Ramachandran said in a press release.