Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for a ban on data center construction in rural neighborhoods, according to the Houston Chronicle. Opposition to the facilities is growing because they require large amounts of electricity and water and can be noisy. The governor had previously touted Texas as “the epicenter of AI development.”
A recent poll by the University of Texas at Austin found that 62% of rural Texans, who vote heavily Republican, support the measure, the paper noted. Seven counties — Hays, Caldwell, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Somervell and Van Zandt — have now called for either a special session or for the issue of regulating data center construction to be a top priority at the next regular legislative session in January.
At a campaign stop in East Texas, Abbott reiterated the restrictions he has called for, including that new centers need to “bring their own power, reuse their own water, and do it in a way that reduces electricity costs for residents across our state.”
