Residents Mobilize for Answers

As AI data centers multiply across the Bay Area, Pittsburg’s AI data center, fully approved but not yet under construction, is drawing attention. Neither the city’s project website nor the developer’s project website indicates whether construction has begun or when it is expected to commence. Meanwhile, residents face the realities and risks of hosting this powerful infrastructure.

In February 2026, news broke that in November 2024, the city had approved a major new AI data center for the old Delta View Golf Course on West Leland. Although the city had discussed the Technology Park development at planning and council meetings, and conducted some community outreach, many residents were unaware of this project. Nor were they aware that the Technology Park would be home to an AI data center.

Neighbors near the site wanted more direct communication from the city. Residents, led by Awilda Graff of the West Leland Neighborhood Watch group, began organizing to uncover the project’s true environmental and community costs.

The central question: Can technological progress coexist with neighborhood well-being, transparency, and environmental responsibility?

Local resident Sonja Shephard said, “Awilda reached out to me because of my work with 350 Contra Costa Action and asked if we could explain the technical aspects of the Data Center Impact Report to local residents. I connected with Gary Farber, another 350 CCA volunteer, who researched the Environmental Impact Report so that 350CCA could help explain the issues surrounding the project.”

During that research we learned that there had in fact been a legal case against the city by the Center for Biological Diversity. 

A Settlement That Raised the Bar, But Not All the Answers

In 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity challenged the project. The city settled in December 2025, adding strict environmental commitments beyond those in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The settlement mandates:

• Powering Pittsburg’s AI data center with renewable energy, except for backup power
• Installing rooftop and parking-canopy solar panels
• Using recycled water for cooling and landscaping
• Deploying zero-emission construction equipment during build-out
• Surveying for Western pond turtles and burrowing owls
• Adding noise-control measures like insulated walls and low-noise equipment
• Requiring a new environmental review for any future phase of the project

Separate from these gains, the City of Pittsburg’s official FAQ on the project outlines important commitments on water consumption and energy use for the facility.

Water, Power, and the Promises on Paper

The facility must use recycled water in a recirculating system to minimize evaporation. The city projects the site will use about one-fifth of the water consumed by the former Delta View Golf Course.

Electricity will come from the municipal Pittsburg Power Company, not PG&E. Residential power won’t be redirected to the facility. The tenant, not ratepayers, must pay for all energy used and about $100 million in grid upgrades. With the exception of backup generators, the project must also use 100% carbon-free electricity. The city plans to audit the plant’s energy use annually.

These commitments matter, but residents feel the city made key decisions without their input. By the time the community understood the project most plans were set. Written mitigations help, but neighbors want a say in whether and how Pittsburg’s AI data center moves forward. That gap remains unresolved.

Questions about cumulative impacts, oversight, and daily life near the facility remain. With 166 existing data centers in the Bay Area and nine more planned, according to Baxtel, concerns about the region’s overall water, energy, and environmental strain are growing. For Pittsburg residents, the diesel-powered generators cause the most worry.

Backup Power: Reassurances and Residual Doubts

One of the biggest concerns is the facility’s 37 diesel backup generators. These are a well-known source of noise and air pollution at data centers and are planned for emergencies only. However, they are expected to run about 50 hours each per year for testing. Each generator must have an emissions scrubber, double enclosure, and acoustic insulation. All must also pass a fire review by the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

Still, residents remain unconvinced. The generators would sit about 400 feet from homes and 500 feet from Rancho Medanos Junior High School. This is an area already burdened by high asthma rates. Diesel exhaust is a known cause of cancer and asthma, and children are the most vulnerable. Residents have asked the Bay Area Air District to deny the generators’ air permit and require cleaner alternatives, such as battery backup.

Seeking Transparency from City Officials

On May 5, 2026, thirty-one residents, including members of the West Leland Neighborhood Watch group, met with the City Manager and Planning staff. Environmental expert Sam Fishaman from SPUR joined the group to help address residents’ concerns. Still, many left the meeting frustrated, with more questions than answers about what Pittsburg’s AI data center would mean for the city’s future. 

Since then, residents have flooded the city council with calls and letters, and attended meetings to demand answers. A local group also started a petition.

The city responded by posting more project information online and scheduling a community meeting for July 30th at 6 pm on Zoom. It also published an FAQ titled AVAIO Data Center Project Details, which addresses many common questions and outlines official details about the proposal.

Yet, despite these assurances, residents say the most important questions remain unanswered. Of particular concern: Oversight and how the city will manage cumulative impacts from future expansion. Questions also persist about the data center’s energy use and carbon footprint. Many wonder whether Pittsburg’s limited water resources can bear the load, especially in drought years.

Looking Ahead: Expansion Plans and Community Pushback

The AVAIO data center is only Phase I of the larger Pittsburg Technology Park. Much of the unease centers on what a full buildout could mean. Pressed on whether future phases would get a fresh, standalone environmental review, the city has stopped short of a firm commitment.

City staff, as lead agency, would decide case by case whether a later phase could be “tiered” off the existing Program EIR or would need a new study. The city says tiering would not sidestep scrutiny. Any tiered review would still examine cumulative impacts and require public notice, a comment period, and certification at a public meeting.

For those already worried about the water use, energy demand, traffic, and emissions across the site, that answer leaves the main question unresolved: Will the full scale of what’s coming weighed openly, and in advance, before the next phase moves ahead.

How to Influence Future Phases of Pittsburg’s Data Center

The future of Pittsburg’s neighborhoods and environment depends on open dialogue, transparent planning, and strong community participation.

As decisions about AI data centers unfold, residents and local officials must work together to ensure technology serves the public good, without sacrificing environmental health or community well-being.

Now is the time to demand clear answers, stronger protections, and a seat at the table for all voices. City council meetings are a crucial forum. We encourage Pittsburg residents to show up, speak out, and help shape the city’s future.

Here’s how you can participate:

• Attend the July 30th community meeting on Zoom at 6 pm.
• Attend upcoming City Council meetings: The City Council meets on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:00 pm at City Hall, 65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg, CA.
• Submit your questions or concerns in advance by emailing cityclerk@pittsburgca.gov or by filling out a speaker card at the meeting.
• Find updates and ways to take action at the community campaign website.
• Share your perspective during public comment periods or by submitting written statements to the Planning Commission.

Your input matters. Being involved ensures the community’s priorities stay at the forefront as decisions are made.