INYOKERN, Calif., July 18 (Ridgecrest Online) — Ridgecrest is trying to get a formal role in California’s review of the proposed Inyokern Data Center.
At a Wednesday evening meeting, the Ridgecrest City Council directed staff to begin the process of seeking intervenor status in the California Energy Commission’s case. That step matters because intervenor status can give a city a seat at the table in a state permitting review. It does not decide the project on its own, but it can let the city take part more directly in the record.
What is the state reviewing?
The California Energy Commission has an active docket for the project under case number 26-SPPE-01, and the agency also has a project page for “RB Inyokern Data Center.” The commission is currently reviewing whether the developer’s application is complete.
City staff told the council that if the application is found complete, the project would move into a formal review process. Staff also said that process could take more than a year before the matter would return to local agencies, including Kern County, for additional approvals.
Why does intervenor status matter?
In plain terms, an intervenor is a party that the agency recognizes as part of the case. For a city, that can mean a chance to file arguments, submit evidence, and stay involved as the review moves forward.
For Ridgecrest, the move appears aimed at making sure the city has a formal voice as the commission works through the project’s environmental and permitting questions.
What else is in the public record?
The commission’s docket and project page show that the case is active. The project page also lists commission contact points, including staff, a public advisor, and a media office.
The public record also includes comments filed with the commission by a group calling itself Taxpayers for Accountability for Our Groundwater. The filing identifies the group as being based in Ridgecrest.
Separate public comments and a Change.org petition show that local concern has already grown around the proposal. Those materials can show public sentiment, but they do not replace the commission’s formal review process.
What happens next?
The commission’s first job is to decide whether the application is complete. If it is, the review can move deeper into state and local permitting steps. If Ridgecrest succeeds in gaining intervenor status, the city will be able to participate more directly in that process.
For now, the city’s action is a procedural one. But in a case that may still move through months of state review and then back to county-level approvals, procedure can shape how much influence local governments have before a final decision is made.