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What The Filings Reveal
This is where the filings start to get interesting. The dispute is not just “data center yes or no.” It is about who gets to define the project: a routine industrial use, or a much bigger system involving power, water, generators, CEQA review, and public control.
⏱️ Approval clock
The automatic-approval argument has a weak hinge.
The developer says the City missed a 15-day deadline and the site plans became deemed approved. The City says the clock never really started because the application was not formally deemed complete. That one timing question may carry a lot of weight.
View source →⚡ Power
The power problem was not theoretical.
The record points to a proposed 330 MW load, IID involvement, temporary CAISO market supply, battery storage, and emergency generation. In other words, this was never just about plugging in a building.
View source →💧 Water
Water was more developed than the public debate suggests.
The emails show real discussion of reclaimed water, Title 22 treatment, pricing, plant costs, pipeline routing, and developer-agreement structure. That does not prove a final deal, but it shows the topic was active and concrete.
View source →⚖️ State court
The state-court order helps the developer, but it is not the whole story.
The February 27, 2026 Superior Court order matters, but it appears procedural rather than a final ruling that ends the CEQA fight. Helpful to one side? Yes. Game over? Not from these filings.
View source →🗺️ Regional strategy
The project appears to have had backup routes.
The exhibits mention Data Center #1 in the City of Imperial, #2 in Imperial County, and #3 in El Centro. That makes the City dispute look like one piece of a larger regional siting strategy.
View source →💰 Economic stakes
The numbers were huge and specific.
The developer described a possible $10 billion project, more than 1,000 construction jobs, roughly 75 to 100 permanent jobs, and major tax-base expansion. That helps explain why the stakes escalated so quickly.
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