California Judge Orders Full Environmental Review of 330 MW Data Center

A California judge has ordered a county to conduct a full environmental review before approving a large data center project, rejecting the county's argument that it could process the approvals as routine ministerial actions. The judge found that the county improperly relied on a 2017 environmental review that did not address the specific infrastructure components of this proposed data center, including its battery storage system, natural gas generators, water treatment facilities, and electrical systems. The decision requires the county to evaluate the project as an integrated whole rather than separate approvals, examining potential impacts on water supply, energy demands, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and other environmental factors. This ruling could influence how developers structure large data center projects and how permitting authorities review their environmental consequences going forward.