San Francisco – On Tuesday Supervisor Shamann Walton, who represents the city’s southeast District 10, will bring a resolution to the Board of Supervisors that would halt all new data‑center construction for 45 days. The temporary moratorium is intended to give the city time to assess the environmental and public‑health impacts of existing and proposed facilities.
What the moratorium would do
If the Board approves the measure, the Planning Commission could extend the pause up to 22 months and 15 days, but only after a formal review finds that the city’s 15 regional data‑center campuses pose a threat to residents. The review would examine electricity use, water consumption, heat and noise emissions, and the reliability of the local power grid.
Existing facilities in District 10
District 10, which includes Bayview‑Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch and Visitacion Valley, has seen a surge in data‑center development over the past decade. The NOVVA data center on 400 Paul Ave. – a 7.5‑acre site approved in 2016 – launched its first 9‑megawatt phase this summer and plans to expand to 36 megawatts by 2028. Across the street, Digital Realty operates a second facility at 200 Paul Ave. Both sites sit in an industrial corridor that already experiences high truck traffic and historic air‑quality challenges.
Global Stack, a technology firm, has proposed a smaller 10‑megawatt center at the Cow Palace in neighboring Daly City, but no construction timeline has been set.
Community concerns
Walton said Bayview residents have voiced worries that data centers could worsen existing pollution, increase heat islands, and strain an already fragile power grid. “We need to know what these impacts are,” he told the board. “Until we know what that is, it needs to stop.”
The neighborhood has long dealt with disproportionate environmental burdens, from heavy‑truck emissions to the legacy of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and the now‑closed PG&E power plant.
Political context
Walton’s proposal mirrors a national effort introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez in June 2026, which would bar data centers larger than 20 megawatts. While Ocasio‑Cortez’s bill faces an uncertain path in Congress, bipartisan criticism of data‑center impacts has grown.
Local tech leaders, including Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, have advocated for expanding AI‑related data facilities in the city. Walton warned that “there are interests out there who have been spending a lot of money to see if they can do whatever they can do,” emphasizing the need to protect residents.
Support from potential successors
Even as Walton’s term ends in January 2027, his likely successor, Theo Ellington, has voiced support for a moratorium until stronger environmental safeguards are in place. Ellington, who has received donations from tech‑industry donors, said, “We’ve heard a lot of concerns from community members around general safety. At the end of the day we don’t want the residents of District 10 carrying the burden of that.”
Next steps
The Board of Supervisors will vote on the resolution on Tuesday. If passed, the Planning Commission will begin a detailed impact study, and the city will determine whether an extension is warranted based on its findings.
Stakeholders, including NOVVA, have not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
