A large data center can have up to 50 diesel backup generators. Each one needs an air-district permit. Knowing how to find that permit, and how to complain when generators run without a power outage, is one of the most useful tools a neighbor has.
Who Regulates the Generators
In Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino) it is the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), under Rule 1470. In the Bay Area it is the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), under Regulation 2. In the Imperial Valley and Coachella, the Imperial County APCD and SCAQMD respectively. Permits limit "emergency" and testing hours.
How to Find a Permit
The districts publish online permit databases (SCAQMD "FIND" and BAAQMD "Permit Search"). Search by address or company name. You can also request records under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), in Spanish if you prefer, and the district must respond within 10 days.
The Problem: Self-Reporting
Operators log themselves how many hours the generators run and why. A petition filed in April 2026 with BAAQMD by the Center for Biological Diversity and other organizations asks that data centers publicly disclose generator use and be permitted as a single pollution source rather than dozens of individual permits.
Why It Matters for Health
Diesel particulate matter is classified as a toxic air contaminant in California. It aggravates childhood asthma and heart disease. According to the Kapor Foundation (2025), 82% of California data centers sit in areas that already have the highest diesel pollution levels, and a Next 10 / UC Riverside report estimated $155 million in health costs from data center pollution in 2023.
How to File a Complaint
SCAQMD: 1-800-CUT-SMOG (1-800-288-7664) or online. BAAQMD: 1-800-334-ODOR (1-800-334-6367). Note the date, time, what you saw or smelled, and ask for the complaint number. Repeated complaints create an official record.
When to Call a Lawyer
If generators run outside permitted hours, if visible smoke is frequent, or if someone in your home has had respiratory problems since the facility opened, talk to us. The consultation is free and in Spanish.